PULPALLY : Hundreds of people cutting across political affiliations took to the streets in Pulpally on Saturday to protest the death of V P Paul, a forest department watcher, in a wild elephant attack on Friday. They demanded a permanent solution to the continuing human-wildlife conflicts in the district.
Pulpally town witnessed angry scenes when an irate mob threw stones at the police. Tension further escalated when the crowd waylaid a jeep of the forest department and damaged it. They brought the carcass of a cow killed by a tiger at Moodankolli and placed it on the bonnet of the jeep.
The protesters also placed a wreath on the jeep, and resisted attempts by the police to move the vehicle from the spot. MLAs I C Balakrishnan and T Siddique, who were present at the protest site, too faced the wrath of protesters, with water bottles and chairs being thrown at them.
The protests that started from the Pulpally bus stand in the morning peaked when Paul’s body was brought to the town at 10am after inquest and postmortem procedures at the Kozhikode Medical College Hospital. Police resorted to lathi charge to control the mob that included women and children. Some policemen were injured in the scuffle.
Around 400 police personnel were deployed to maintain law and order during the protests. It is learnt that the police will register cases against those who attacked the officials and damaged the vehicles.
The protesters raised demands that Rs 50 lakh be given to Paul’s family as compensation, permanent jobs for his wife and that the government undertake the further education of his daughter and write off his debts.
Meanwhile, Pulpally deputy range forest officer P R Shaji suffered a cardiac arrest and was shifted to the Wayanad Government Medical College in Mananthavady.
Ministerial-level meet on Tuesday
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan led a high-level meeting of officials in Thiruvananthapuram to take stock of the situation in Wayanad. It has been decided to hold a joint meeting at the Wayanad collectorate on Tuesday under the aegis of ministers of revenue, forest and local self-government departments.
Displeasure over handling of body
Family members of V P Paul have expressed displeasure over the manner in which his body was handled in Pulpally town. They resented keeping the body for hours for protest along with carcass of a cow.
Govt to write off family’s debts & bear education expenses of Paul’s daughter
The funeral of the deceased was delayed following the protests of local residents and the family members. The body was shifted to Paul’s house in Pakkam in Pulpally panchayat by 1.30pm. However, the relatives declined to take over the body before Wayanad ADM Devaki K and the forest department officials agreed to hand over the immediate relief fund of `5 lakh on Saturday itself.
The funeral ceremonies started after more than an hour of discussion between the family members and the department heads. Later, the body was buried at St George Jacobite Simhasana Cathedral in Pulpally. The ADM agreed to provide a temporary government job to Sally, wife of Paul.
“The recommendation to sanction the remaining Rs 40-lakh compensation as demanded by the family member will be sent to the government. The financial liabilities of the family will be written off. The government will bear the expenses of the education of Paul’s daughter,” informed ADM Devaki K.
Meanwhile, Youth Congress workers blocked the car of Forest Minister A K Saseendran and waved black flags at him in Kozhikode.
On Sunday, Wayanad MP Rahul Gandhi will visit the house of Ajeesh Joseph, who was killed in a wild elephant attack at Padamala near Mananthavady on February 10. He will then leave for Pakkam to visit the house of V P Paul and to Moodakolly to visit the house of Prajeesh, who was killed in a tiger attack last December. There will be an assessment meeting under the leadership of Rahul with district officials in Kalpetta.
Meanwhile, the family members of Paul have expressed displeasure over the manner in which his body was handled at Pulpally town. They resented keeping the body for hours for protest along with the carcass of the cow. “The family was informed earlier that there would be a public protest after Paul’s body was brought home. But the body was taken directly to Pulpally town without the consent of the relatives. We are pained by the disrespect shown to the body,” said Kuriakose, Paul’s brother.
Funeral post discussion
Forest department officials agreed to hand over immediate relief fund of Rs 5 lakh to the family. The funeral ceremonies began after more than an hour of discussion between the family members and department heads
