PALAKKAD: Forest Minister A K Saseendran has directed the chief wildlife warden to submit a detailed report in connection with the wild jumbo attack at Mundur in Palakkad on Sunday night in which a youth, Allen Joseph, died while his mother, Viji Joseph, suffered injuries.
The probe will look into possible lapses by the forest department in managing the situation. The report is expected to cover serious concerns, including the alleged failure of solar-powered fencing, absence of early warning systems and the overall inefficacy of preventive measures in the region.
The directive comes amid growing public anger and criticism over repeated incidents of human-wildlife conflict in Mundur and surrounding areas.
Meanwhile, multiple political parties and local organisations conducted protest marches across Mundur on Monday morning demanding immediate intervention by the state government to ensure the safety of people residing near forest fringes. The CPM held a half-day hartal in the Mundur panchayat area, while the BJP took out a protest march to the divisional forest office (DFO) at Railway Colony at 9am. The Congress blocked the Palakkad-Kozhikode highway at Mundur and held a protest meeting.
Malampuzha MLA A Prabhakaran, who visited the home of Allen, the youth who lost his life in the attack, said the family had requested the construction of effective fencing along roads passing through residential areas. “What happened is a terrible tragedy. The residents are demanding rail fencing to protect their homes and farmlands. The government will consider the demand seriously,” Prabhakaran told TNIE.