Even wild boar traps being used as political weapons

The by-election in Nilambur is very much in the news due to recent political developments. The UDF cannot even think about losing Nilambur. On the other hand, if LDF wins Nilambur, it will become a sign of the arrival of the third LDF government. Anvar is also active in the scene by criticizing both sides. Therefore, it is natural that even small incidents happening in Kerala are exaggerated in Nilambur. However, criticizing each other by giving a political colour to mishaps and accidents is not in line with democratic etiquette. The death of a fifteen-year-old student named Ananthu in Vazhikkadav, Nilambur the other day is a completely tragic incident. Ananthu lost his life in an illegal electric trap set to catch wild boars.

It is a fact that farmers in many parts of the state are setting up traps like this due to the rampant wild boar infestation. That is because once wild boars come out, the farmers' months of hard work and crop growth can be wiped out in one night. Although there is a law to shoot wild boars, it is not done on time. Often, people come to kill wild boars only after the crops have been damaged. Not only wild boars but also monkeys, porcupines and other wild animals destroy crops. The current law does not allow shooting any of these. Kerala has requested the Centre to grant permission but reports say that it is not easy to get permission to shoot these animals.

In any case, wild animal disturbance and crop damage are a big problem that keeps the people of the hilly region awake. However, the trap set in Nilambur was not to prevent crop damage. The trap was set here by those who electrocute and kill wild boars and sell their meat. The child who went fishing in the stream at night was electrocuted by it. One person was arrested in this incident. However, the incident took on another dimension when Forest Minister A.K. Saseendran reacted in a way that gave a political colour to the incident. The minister initially responded that there was nothing wrong in suspecting a political conspiracy in the incident of a student dying from an electric shock from a pig trap. Although he later explained that his statement was distorted, all the parties in the contest had already taken it up.

Opposition leader VD Satheesan demanded the resignation of the inactive minister who has left the people of the forest border to the animals. KPCC President Sunny Joseph demanded that the minister who alleged a conspiracy should prove it. Minister Sivankutty said that the opposition's action in protesting over this tragic incident is condemnable. Raising Ananthu's death as an election issue cannot be justified.

It is the responsibility of KSEB and local bodies to inspect and detect such electric traps from time to time. Ananthu is the sixth person to lose his life due to electric traps in Kerala in the last eight months. The authorities should take immediate steps to prevent such incidents from recurring. Such tragic incidents should not be turned into murky waters for political fishing.