Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala forest minister A K Saseendran on Friday said special squads would be deployed — at Kottyam's Erumeli, Kollam's Edamulakkal and Thrissur's Chalakudy — in areas that are prone to gaur attacks in the state.
He said directions have been given to the forest department chief to monitor the situation. According to the minister, compensation would be provided to the kin of the dead and injured in the attacks by the wild animals on Friday.
Chackochan (70) and Thomas (71) were killed at Erumeli after a gaur which ventured into a rubber plantation attacked them at around 8 am on Friday. In Kollam, Samuel Varghese (60), an expatriate, was gored to death by a gaur at his plot on Thursday.
Meanwhile, panic gripped Chalakudy's Melur region after a gaur was seen roaming around the residential areas in the wee hours of Friday.
Residents of Erumeli have been protesting against the forest department's apathy to check wild animal raids in the area. Following this, the forest minister intervened and issued directions to deploy special squads in the three places.
Kottayam collector issues shoot-at-sight order
The district authority found itself in a tight spot after the death toll in gaur attacks touched two on Friday. Soon after, Kottayam district collector issued a shoot-at-sight order at the gaur in question. As it continues to pose a threat to human lives in the area, sources said, the district administration will have to either put down or tranquilise the wild animal.
