Srinivas, a resident of Neredmet said to ANI, " I have seen the news of an elephant killed in Kerala in a very inhuman way and the act is not at all tolerable. It is not the murder of an elephant but the murder of humanity."
"I am moved after seeing the news, and from my side, I have announced a reward of Rs 2 lakh for those who help in finding the killers of the elephant", he added.
The death of a pregnant elephant in Kerala has triggered nationwide outrage. A wild elephant left Silent Valley Forest and wandered into a nearby village in search of food.
She ate a pineapple filled with crackers, which was allegedly offered by a man. The fruit exploded in her mouth when breaking her jaw. She then entered the nearby river and stood in the water for hours. Also Read|Really Ashamed Of This Act, We Need To Treat Our Creatures A Lot Better: Rahane On Pregnant Elephant's Killing
The elephant then died several hours later, despite efforts to rescue her. Forest officers said the cracker-filled fruit was set as bait to kill wild animals. They said they have information about the people who set the trap. Several celebrities and political leaders have demanded action against animal cruelty.
Union Minister Prakash Javedekar expressed his concern towards this heinous act and said," Central Government has taken a very serious note of the killing of an elephant in Mallapuram, Kerala. We will not leave any stone unturned to investigate properly and nab the culprit(s). This is not an Indian culture to feed firecrackers and kill."
The Kerala Chief Minister, Pinarayi Vijayan also called the incident tragic and said," An investigation is underway, focusing on three suspects. The police and forest departments will jointly investigate the incident. The district police chief and the district forest officer visited the site today. We will do everything possible to bring the culprits to justice."
Also Watch: Elephant killing in Kerala being politicized as culprits roam free