KOCHI: The High Court has asked how a criminal case can be filed against officials in the case of the death of a bear in Vellanadu, Thiruvananthapuram. No instructions were given to kill the bear. The officers had no such intention. How can it be said that tranquilizing the bear and trying to move it to another place is hunting?, asked the division bench comprising of Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas and Justice C Jayachandran.

An organization called Walking Eye Foundation for Animal Advocacy of Thrissur has approached the High Court demanding action against the officials of the Forest Department in the incident of the death of a bear. The division bench said that other steps are not possible apart from taking departmental action against the officials and directed to issue notice to the government and other opposite parties in the petition.