Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala): After the death of a pregnant elephant in Kerala's Palakkad district raked up a storm, the state's Principal Chief Conservator of Forests Surendrakumar on Friday dismissed reports that suggested that the animal was fed a fruit stuffed with crackers.
Surendrakumar, who is the state's Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) and Chief Wildlife Warden, said it was a deliberate attempt to malign Kerala.
"It is a campaign launched to bring bad reputation to the state and its people. Nobody will dare to take a pineapple stuffed with crackers and feed an elephant. That story is not at all believable," he said.
The officer however admitted that there was an injury in the elephant's jaw, adding that the animal might have accidentally consumed some eatable stuffed with firecrackers - an illegal method practiced by farmers to chase away wild boars.
Earlier today, one person was arrested in the case, the state forest department informed. Forest department sources had said yesterday that three people were under the scanner of the joint investigation team of Kerala police and their personnel and a search was on for two more people.
Surendrakumar said that only after the other two accused are apprehended that it will be exactly be known about the cause of the elephant's death.
The 15-year-old elephant was suspected to have consumed a fruit filled with powerful fire crackers, which exploded in its mouth in the Silent Valley forest. The pachyderm died in the Velliyar River a week later on May 27.
