Kerala: Man held by forest officials & let off on bail found dead

THRISSUR: A 32-year-old man, who was arrested by forest officials at Poongode near Wadakkanchery for his alleged involvement in the sale and consumption of illegally hunted wild boars, was found dead near his house on Friday after he was released on bail.

According to reports, the body of Vadakkan Veettil Midhun of Kanjiracode was found hung from a tree on a plot near his house. As per preliminary indications, Midhun, who was an autorickshaw driver, ended his life by hanging. Some of the residents and family members allege that the forest officials had seized Midhun's mobile phone and tortured him when he went to the forest station to get his phone back on Thursday. According to them, Midhun was under severe mental stress after he returned from the forest station. As per reports, Midhun was arrested in connection with the illegal slaughtering of three wild boars about six months back. The key accused in that case, Kizhakkethil Muhammed Musthaffa of Desamangalam, had reportedly stated that he had sold the meat to Mankulathu Veettil Sivan, 54, of Kanjirakkode. Sivan had in turn sold a portion of the meat to Midhun. Locals and relatives alleged that Midhun, who was also a percussionist, was extremely upset when he did not get the phone back.

He feared that he would not be able to get autorickshaw bookings which would affect his livelihood. He was also reportedly upset by the media reports depicting him as a poacher and bandit. The residents in the area launched protests and did not permit the body to be taken back from the tree till sub collector Akhil Menon arrived at the spot.

The sub collector said an independent enquiry would be conducted into Midhun's death.

He said that the district collector Arjun Pandian has formed a two-member panel, comprising Thrissur ACP and Wadakkanchery tahsildar, to conduct the probe. They have been asked to submit the report by Saturday. Compensation to Midhun's family will be explored after reporting their financial distress to the govt, the sub collector added. Meanwhile, the forest officials claimed they did not torture Midhun. They also said that they did not refuse to return his mobile phone. They claimed that Midhun had left kept his phone at the forest office voluntarily before he was taken to court.