The Kerala High Court has sharply criticised the state government over the lack of effective safety measures for tribal residents in the Aralam farm region, following the death of a 44-year-old man in an elephant attack early Saturday morning. Calling the situation “deplorable,” the court said the administration’s response was “woefully inadequate” and warned that every such death reflects a systemic failure.
A Division Bench comprising Justice A.K. Jayasankaran Nambiar and Justice Jobin Sebastian took strong exception to the continuing vulnerability of families living in and around the Aralam farm and the Tribal Rehabilitation and Development Mission area, where human-animal conflict has remained a persistent threat.
During the hearing, the judges stressed that the loss of life in wildlife attacks cannot be treated as an isolated incident but must be viewed as evidence of gaps in governance and protection mechanisms. They expressed dissatisfaction with the state’s handling of the latest fatality and the broader absence of preventive infrastructure for the tribal population.
The court directed senior state officials to appear through video conference on March 2 and explain what concrete steps will be taken to prevent further attacks and ensure the safety of residents. The Bench made it clear that it expects a detailed response on future preventive measures rather than routine assurances.
The intervention comes amid growing concern over repeated elephant intrusions into human settlements in the Aralam region, which houses rehabilitated tribal communities. The High Court’s observations underline the need for a coordinated administrative and wildlife management response to address the continuing risk to human life.
