Elections: Pookode case and wildlife attack will be discussed

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The death of Siddharth, a student at the Pookode Veterinary University, and the wildlife attacks in the state will lead to heated debates in the Lok Sabha election campaign. The opposition is raising serious allegations against the government, CPM and SFI in the incident of Siddharth's death following the mob trial at Pookode Veterinary University.

The UDF and BJP are using the post-mortem report of Siddharth and the slow pace of police-university action against the culprits as weapons against the government. The UDF is planning to organize an agitation across Kerala on the issue. As part of this, a torchlight protest will be held tomorrow in every panchayat under the leadership of the front. Attingal constituency BJP candidate and Union Minister V Muraleedharan has also come forward demanding that the investigation of the case be handed over to central agencies.

The government found itself on the defensive after Governor Arif Mohammed Khan intervened in the matter and suspended the vice-chancellor of the university. Although the University Dean and Warden were suspended the other day, the agitation has not cooled down yet.

The UDF has also taken up the protest raised by the relatives of those killed in the recent wild animal attacks in the Idukki and Wayanad districts. A high-level meeting chaired by the Chief Minister took some decisions after the wildlife attack in Wayanad. However, there is a fierce protest against the forest department.