Kerala elephant’s death: Lawyer files complaint against Maneka Gandhi, others for hate campaign
After the elephant died, the former Union minister had tweeted that Mallapuram is “known for its intense animal activity” and yet authorities did not take any action to curb the menace.
A lawyer from Kerala’s Malappuram has filed a police complaint against BJP leader Maneka Gandhi and others for allegedly indulging in a hate campaign against the district and its residents over the death of the pregnant elephant, news agency ANI reported on Friday.
ANI reported that Subhash Chandran, an advocate from Malappuram, filed the complaint with the district’s superintendent of police on Thursday seeking the registration of a first information report (FIR) against former Union minister Maneka Gandhi and others.
Chandran alleged that the campaign against the district was very derogatory and with a malafide intent, ANI reported. The lawyer alleged that Maneka Gandhi made false and frivolous allegations against the district of Malappuram and its residents, it added.
After the elephant died, the former Union minister had tweeted that Malapuram is “known for its intense animal activity” and yet authorities did not take any action to curb the menace.
The elephant died after she ate the pineapple stuffed with firecrackers and forest officials said that it died standing in the River Velliyar after it suffered an injury in its lower jaw.
It was seen standing in the river with her mouth and trunk in the water after the firecracker-filled fruit exploded in her mouth.
Chandran, through the complaint, prayed to the district police chief to register an FIR against Maneka Gandhi and others under Section 153A, 120B etc of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
He said the elephant died on May 29 in Palakkad and not in Malappuram as claimed by a section of social media users.
Prominent news outlets operating from the South also reported that the elephant died after consuming explosive-laden pineapple in Palakkad
He said that the unfortunate death of the elephant in Mannarkkad area of Palakkad district dominated social media conversations in the last two days but a group of people deliberately added communal colour into it only to spread hatred against Malappuram, which is a Muslim-majority district in Kerala, according to ANI.
Chandran also named Tarek Fatah, a political commentator, for allegedly starting a hate campaign against the district and the minority community.
A man has been arrested and another detained in connection with the elephant’s death.
(With agency inputs)