The tragic death of Ananthu Vijay, a Class 10 student who was electrocuted by a live wire set up to trap a wild boar at Vellakkattu in Nilambur Vazhikkadavu, exposes the negligence and failure of government systems. The illegal electric trap, intended for killing wild boar and selling the meat, became a death snare on Saturday night for Ananthu and his friends, who had gone fishing. In Kerala, it has become common for people to resort to illegal means as official mechanisms remain inactive in addressing the menace of wild animals that destroy crops. In Nilambur—where ruling party members often boast about administrative excellence—an illegal electric snare claimed the life of a boy, while the electricity and forest departments turned a blind eye. In the wake of the tragedy, a shaken government machinery blamed the public, while those in power and the opposition hurled mutual accusations — all the while evading responsibility. What we now witness is a disturbing spectacle of a tragic death being turned into a political weapon. The statement by Vinesh, who was arrested by the police as the accused, that the trap was set to poach wild animals for meat, further underscores the gravity of the situation. If the state has reached a point where anyone can freely operate deadly illegal hunting traps, then it is the state government that must be held accountable.
Incidents of innocent people getting killed after being caught in electric traps set for wild animals have been recurring in the state. In the past eight months alone, six people have lost their lives in such tragic circumstances in Kerala. This death toll itself is proof that the concerned departments are limiting their responses to a few perfunctory statements of shock and superficial claims of having taken action. Often, even when someone senses danger and approaches departmental offices or officials with complaints, there is a lack of willingness to listen. In the present case too, relatives allege that the government followed its usual indifferent script. They claim that the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) had been informed about the trap. Since it was a path used by people, they had pointed out the potential danger. Yet, the electricity officials failed to take any action. Therefore, they argue, the tragedy was man-made.
The trap was set up by drawing power directly from a KSEB single-phase line using a hook, wires, and non-insulated cables. Even after becoming aware of such a blatant violation of the law, the department hesitated to act — and is now defending itself by arguing that the illegal actions of private individuals should not be blamed on them. But it is the Minister and the government who must clarify: is the department’s duty to punish those who break the law, or to ignore them and allow the innocent to be pushed towards death? Setting up such electric traps by illegally tapping power is a punishable offence under the Electricity Act of 2003 — punishing by up to three years’ imprisonment, fine, or both. The government must disclose how many have been arrested and punished so far for such a serious offence. The recurrence of such disasters clearly speaks for the inefficiency of the government.
When disasters occur, what people expect from the administration, the authorities, and the leadership of the ruling party is a response marked by wisdom and a sense of responsibility. In this case, what was required was for the authorities concerned— electricity and forest — to study the matter carefully and respond with due seriousness. However, instead of acknowledging the gravity of the incident and initiating corrective measures to prevent future recurrence, it is deeply unfortunate that the forest and electricity ministers, along with the party secretary leading the ruling front, rushed to exploit the issue for electoral gains. This, in itself, is another sad disaster. The ruling leadership should not have confined themselves to portraying a tragic death as merely a conspiracy in front of the grieving family and the shocked community. Later, when public outrage turned the matter into a controversy, distancing themselves from it does not absolve the administration of responsibility. The electricity department — which should have been the first to accept blame — turning accusations back on the people is neither in line with democratic values nor befitting those in power.
For the people, the matter is not about someone’s election victory. What they need is the safety of their own lives. The government must take the initiative to prove it stands with the people — by ensuring a thorough investigation that can guarantee such safety for those living in forest regions, and by ensuring the sincere commitment of officials in fulfilling their responsibilities so that no such disaster happens again.