PALAKKAD: Reacting to the gruesome incident in Palakkad-Malappuram border area in which a pregnant elephant was killed using pineapple stuffed with explosives, the locals have blamed the Forest department for not rushing timely help to the elephant.

“After getting her mouth injured, the jumbo roamed around human habitats for three days but Forest officials didn’t make timely intervention to save her life,” the locals alleged.

On the other hand, a special team of the Forest department has started investigation into the death of the elephant. The probe focusses on plantations, where farmers use such baits to hound away or kill animals.

The Forest department is also trying to find out whether any one among locals had given pineapple laden with explosives to the elephant.

Though the police have questioned some locals, they have not got any clear evidence that will help them close in on the real culprit.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayn as well as Union Forest and Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar said that strong action would be taken against the perpetrators of the crime. Javadekar even went on to tweet that such heinous act of killing by giving animals explosive to consume is not Indian culture.