Kerala's Wayanad witnessed a massive protest over human-animal conflict on Saturday with residents turning violent and police resorting to lathi charge.
The demonstration was staged after a wild elephant killed Paul, 49, a staff with the Kuruva Dweep Eco-Tourism Centre of the forest department. He was trampled to death by the elephant while on duty in Pakkom on February 16. This was the third fatal elephant attack in the area in less than a month.
Protesters have demanded Rs 50 lakh for the relatives of the deceased, a permanent government job to his next of kin and payment of his daughter's educational expenses. They have also demanded the government to write off his bank loans.
In what was initially a peaceful protest became violent around 11 am. People hurled chairs and bottles at the MLAs and the police, forcing the latter to lathi-charge. The protesters also surrounded a forest department Jeep, deflating its tyres and tearing down its roof.
In another incident, the protesters brought the carcass of a cow killed in a suspected to be killed in a tiger attack earlier in the day on a tractor and tied it to the bonnet of the Forest Department vehicle.
On February 10, Ajeesh, 47, was killed by an elephant in Mananthavady while on January 30, Lakshman, 55, was also trampled to death by a wild tusker.
The ruling CPI(M)-led LDF, the opposition Congress-led UDF and BJP have called for a dawn-to-dusk hartal on Saturday.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has directed to convene a high-level meeting led by ministers to discuss the issues related to wildlife attacks in Wayanad. The meeting which is scheduled for February 20 morning will be attended by ministers of revenue, forest and local self-government as well as district representatives and high-level officials.