Palakkad: In a major development in the death of a wild pregnant elephant in Kerala, the prime accused has confessed to his crime that he had filled the coconut with explosive materials as a snare to kill wild boars. On Friday, the cops recorded the statement of the alleged kingpin Wilson, a rubber tapper in Chalikkal Othukkumpuram estate in Kottoppadam.
However, the hunt for two more accused Abdul Kareem, the estate owner and his son Riyazuddin are still on.
As a part of the police investigation, Wilson took the police officials to a shed on the plantation where they reportedly prepared the explosives. The materials used for preparing the explosives were also found at the shed.
Further inquiry has also revealed that Wilson is also involved in the poaching and selling the meat of wild animals. The accused has been booked under the relevant sections of the Forest and Wildlife Protection and Explosives Act.
It is to be noted that locally made explosives are stuffed in fruits in an attempt to protect the crops from wild animals like boars. According to the forest department officers, the elephant chomped off the coconut filled with explosives which resulted in deep injuries in its mouth, preventing the jumbo to eat or drink water for days.
READ: Wild elephant had major oral wounds; did not eat for nearly 2 weeks before drowning: Autopsy report