KALPETTA: The forest department is all set to arrest the culprits involved in pelting stones at an elephant herd in the Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary last week.
It is to be recalled that the visuals of a group of tourists pelting stones at the herd went viral in Facebook triggering off much criticism from environmental activists.
It was alleged that groups of miscreants often hurl stones and sound air horns to scare away the elephant herds. Wayanad wildlife warden Dhanesh Kumar told DC that the department has already identified the three culprits, all natives of Meppadi.
“We have registered a case against the trio and would be taken into custody soon”, he added. Meanwhile Greens alleged that elephant herds waiting to cross the National Highway 212 moving through the sanctuary in to the water hole of the valley, has been a regular scene. The tourists used to hurl stones at the herd, at times, even using catapults.
It is to be recalled that during summer elephant herds from nearby hotter wildlife regions used to migrate to Wayanad Wildlife sanctuary in search of fodder and water. All the forest regions of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu in Nilgiri biosphere region are facing acute water shortage.
