KALPETTA: The forest department arrested on Tuesday four accused for pelting stones at an elephant on Saturday in the Muthanga forest range at Mavanahalli-Rampur forest reserve in Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary.
The incident took place on Saturday when the animal along with a herd was crossing the National Highway 212, Kozhikode-Bengaluru highway passing through the sanctuary.
Produced at the Judicial First Class Magistrate Court, Sultan Bathery on Tuesday night, all the accused were remanded to judicial custody. The accused surrendered in front of the Wayanad Wildlife Warden Dhanesh Kumar on Tuesday.
Those arrested were Shaman Hashim, 21, Shameer M., 27, Abdul Rassack, 21, and Rias, 26. All the accused are friends and natives of Mukkilppeedika, Meppadi near here. The incident came to light when another traveller shot the visuals of stone pelting and later uploading it on Facebook.
Wayanad Wildlife Warden Dhanesh Kumar told this newspaper that the forest department has prayed for strict action against the accused. “Such animals subjected to attack used to show violence whenever they come across human settlements and human beings,” he said.
