Human-Animal conflict: Kerala Guv visits kin of victims in Wayanad

Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan on Monday visited the houses of the victims of the recent wild animal attacks in Wayanad and consoled their family members.

Khan visited the residences of Aji, Paul and Prajeesh who were killed in various animal attacks over the span of last two months and also paid a visit to the house of Sarath, who is bedridden after being seriously injured in an elephant attack.

He heard the grievances of the kin and assured necessary assistance from the administration.

Later, he visited the Mananthavady Bishop House and held discussions with the priests and others.

In an apparent reference to the violence during the protests staged by locals seeking solutions to the human-animal conflicts, Khan said violence is negation of democracy.

''I personally feel, whatever be the problem, violence is negation of democracy, negation of human values, negation of civilised conduct. I tell the authorities that such situation should never arise where people have in their mind that unless you indulge in violence nobody is going to listen to you,'' Khan said.

During the meeting, Mananthavady Bishop Mar Jose Porunnedom of the Syro-Malabar Catholic church flayed the state government and said the administration's response to the human-animal conflict in the region was ''too little too late''.

''Despite the escalating crisis, the response from the government has been awfully inadequate. We have a medical college in Mananthavady but it is a medical college only on the board. It does not have even the basic facilities that's why two of our brothers died,'' the bishop said.

He urged the Governor and the state administration to improve the road and air connectivity to the district. Attacks on livestock and humans are frequently being reported from Wayanad recently.

A hartal called by various political parties seeking permanent solutions to the human-animal conflicts in the region turned violent here on February 17.