As protests rage intensely on the alleged killing of a pregnant elephant in Kerala's Palakkad district, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan assured that a thorough investigation is underway on the incident. The Chief Minister took to his Twitter handle on Thursday to react on the nationwide call for the animal's justice.
CM assures justice
The elephant reportedly died after eating a pineapple loaded with firecrackers after days of bearing unimaginable pain and suffering due to the explosion.
"In a tragic incident in Palakkad dist, a pregnant elephant has lost its life. Many of you have reached out to us. We want to assure you that your concerns will not go in vain. Justice will prevail," wrote the Chief Minister.
The Chief Minister also mentioned that the police and forest department officials have begun investigating the incident and they have identified three suspects.
"The district police chief and the district forest officer visited the site today. We will do everything possible to bring the culprits to justice," he said in a series of tweets.
Hate campaigns over the incident
He also expressed his agony on the hate campaigns that are geared up on the other side over the incident, accusing the state and its people.
Even within the state, posts slamming on the 'inhumane' nature of people in Palakkad and Malappuram were widespread. "Having said that, we are saddened by the fact some have used this tragedy to unleash a hate campaign. Lies built upon inaccurate descriptions and half truths were employed to obliterate the truth. Some even tried to import bigotry into the narrative. Wrong priorities."
Earlier on Thursday, Union Minister of Environment Forest and Climate Change Prakash Javadekar has called the incident 'cruel.'On mentioning the government's action of deploying senior officers in the region to nab the culprits, the Minister said "this kind of killing is absolutely unacceptable."
According to the Forest range officers, the elephant must have accidentally eaten the firecracker filled pineapple, which the locals had kept to keep the wild boars at bay.
The tragic death news surfaced online after Mohan Krishnan, a forest officer, posted an emotional note on his Facebook page where he revealed that the elephant died in the waters of the Velliyar River.
