Kottayam: The Devikulam Judicial First Class Magistrate Court on Wednesday released on bail Binoop, 23, accused of killing a wild elephant in the Chundavurrai estate of the Kanan Devan company the other day, as he maintained he chased the animal away not for extracting its ivory tusk but for the purpose of safety.
The police arrested the Idukki Kanjikuzhy native on charges of hitting the animal with a JCB when it intruded into the human habitat Tuesday evening causing its death from head injuries. Vets who conducted its autopsy found internal haemorrhage injuries in lungs.
The Devikulam forest range office registered a case against two others Dhanesh, the JCB owner, and Sajeevan, who instigated it under the Wildlife Act 1972.
Meanwhile, V.K. Venkatachalam, president of the Thrissur based NGO Heritage Animal Task Force (HATF) petitioned the Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF) and Project Elephant seeking action.
He wanted a case registered against the Kanan Devan Company for permitting the JCB inside.
Munnar DFO V.M. Narendrababu brushed aside the allegations that the forest department had not taken precautions to rein in wild elephants straying in despite receiving complaints.
“The allegations are baseless,” he said.
“The intrusions are a regular phenomenon, as the human inhabited areas and the forest areas are interconnected. I have received no complaints.”
