Wayanad, Kerala – Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has departed for his constituency in Wayanad, Kerala, following a violent district-wide strike called by opposition parties regarding the ongoing man-animal conflicts in the region. The strike turned violent over the weekend, prompting Gandhi to return to his Lok Sabha constituency to address the urgent situation.
Gandhi’s visit comes in the wake of yet another tragic death caused by an encounter with a wild elephant near Kuruva island in Wayanad. The incident has sparked widespread protests, with locals demanding long-term solutions to the recurring man-animal conflicts in the area.
While Gandhi was conducting his ‘Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra’ in Uttar Pradesh, he will now make his way to Wayanad and is expected to return to Varanasi the following day. The situation in Wayanad remains tense, as the strike over the recent elephant attack turned violent in Pulpally, with residents expressing their frustration by damaging a forest department vehicle.
The unrest has resulted in all shops closing and vehicles being kept off the roads in Wayanad. In response to the escalating conflicts, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has instructed concerned ministers to lead a high-level meeting addressing the ongoing concerns regarding human-animal conflicts. The meeting, set to take place on February 20, will involve Revenue, Forest, and Local Self Government Department (LSGD) ministers.
These recent events come in the wake of another disturbing incident, where a 42-year-old man was trampled to death by a wild elephant in the Mananthavady area of the district. This tragedy prompted massive protests, adding to the growing urgency for a sustainable resolution to the man-animal conflicts in Wayanad.
The ongoing tensions and tragedies in Wayanad have underscored the pressing need for proactive measures to address the man-animal conflicts that continue to pose a threat to the lives and livelihoods of the local communities. It remains to be seen how the authorities will respond to these challenges and what long-term solutions will be put in place to prevent future tragedies.