Sun Jan 05 17:29:41 UTC 2025: **Kerala MLA Arrested After Protest Over Tribal Man’s Death**
MALAPPURAM, Kerala – January 5, 2025 – Independent MLA P.V. Anvar, representing the Nilambur constituency in Kerala, was arrested Sunday night following a protest that turned violent earlier in the day. The protest, led by Anvar and members of the Democratic Movement of Kerala (DMK), targeted the Divisional Forest Office (North) in Nilambur.
The protest stemmed from the death of a 35-year-old tribal man, Mani, who was killed by an elephant on Saturday night. Mani, a member of the Cholanaikar tribe, was returning home from dropping his children off at a hostel when the incident occurred. Anvar and the DMK accused forest authorities of failing to prevent the attack.
Following Mani’s death, Anvar and the DMK marched to the DFO office, vandalizing property and disrupting police operations. Eleven DMK members, including Anvar, were subsequently charged with obstructing police duty and damaging public property.
Anvar, who recently left the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF), claimed his arrest was politically motivated, alleging that Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan was using the police to suppress dissent. He stated he was speaking out on behalf of farmers in the Christian community living near the forest. Before his arrest, Anvar surrendered to police, stating he would “show what he can do if he comes back alive.”
The Kerala government has announced a compensation of ₹10 lakh to Mani’s family. The incident highlights ongoing tensions between tribal communities, forest authorities, and the government over human-wildlife conflict in the region.
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