Elephant death case: One arrested, efforts on to nab more accused, says Forest minister
Palakkad: In a major breakthrough in the case relating to the death of a pregnant wild elephant in Kerala, one person was arrested on Friday.
"One person was arrested today. There are more accused in the case and efforts are on to nab them", Kerala Forest Minister K Raju told reporters.
Forest and police officials are conducting a joint probe into the elephant's death and a 'very fruitful investigation' is going on, he said.
The Kerala Forest Department in a tweet said: "KFD has zeroed in on the culprits and recorded the first arrest in the wild elephant death case".
The incident had triggered a national outrage, with Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar and BJP MP and former union minister Maneka Gandhi, among others, reacting to it.
Forest department sources had said yesterday that three people were under the scanner of the joint investigation team of their personnel and Kerala police and a search was on for two more people.
The department had said that there was no conclusive evidence that the injury to the elephant's lower jaw was caused by a pineapple stuffed with crackers and "it might be a possibility."
The 15-year-old elephant is suspected to have consumed a pineapple filled with powerful fire crackers which exploded in its mouth in the Silent Valley forest.
It died in the Velliyar River a week later on May 27.
The pachyderm's tragic end came to light after a forest officer posted an emotional note on his Facebook page, narrating it.
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DMK seeks separate seating in Lok Sabha after split with Congress alliance
New Delhi: Kanimozhi Karunanidhi has written to the Lok Sabha Speaker seeking a separate seating arrangement for Members of Parliament belonging to the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) following the end of the party’s alliance with the Indian National Congress.
In a letter dated May 7 addressed to the Speaker of the Lok Sabha, Kanimozhi said the changed political situation made it inappropriate for DMK MPs to continue sitting alongside Congress members in the House.
She requested the Speaker to make “suitable changes” in the seating arrangement of the DMK Parliamentary Party and allot separate seating for its MPs.
“In view of the changed political circumstances and as our alliance with the Indian National Congress has come to an end, it may not be appropriate for our Members to continue occupying the present seating arrangement alongside them in the House,” the letter stated.
Kanimozhi further said separate seating would help DMK members effectively discharge their responsibilities in the Lok Sabha.
