One of the accused in the death of a pregnant elephant in 2020 — which caused nationwide outrage — has surrendered before the Munsiff Magistrate Court in Mannarkkad of Palakkad district on Saturday. The accused has been absconding for almost one and a half years.
After his surrender, the Kerala Forest Department made an application to the court to get his custody. According to a report on The New Indian Express, the person who has surrendered — Riyazudheen — is the second accused in the case. The prime accused, who is Riyazudheen’s father is still at large.
In May 2020, the elephant died after a pineapple stuffed with crackers was fed to her by the alleged persons in Kerala’s Malappuram. The elephant was in extreme pain after the crackers blew inside her mouth. She stood in a river for days before succumbing to her injuries. Following her death, Forest Department officials conducted an autopsy and it was discovered that the jumbo was pregnant.
According to a media report, Mannarkad DFO MK Surjith expects Riyazudheen to give the details of the case, and identify the person who had put the crackers in the pineapple and given it to the elephant. Riyazudheen has been remanded to judicial custody till Oct 30. Police have registered a case of illegally possessing explosives, and misusing them, against the accused. On the other hand, the forest department’s case is for causing the death of the elephant, a wild animal who was protected under the Wildlife Protection Act.
The issue was heavily discussed on social media platforms, and animal rights groups had condemned the heinous act back in 2020. At the time the Kerala government had promised to take swift action against the culprits in the case.
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