Rahul Gandhi Leaves For Wayanad Amid Elephant Attack; To Resume Yatra Tomorrow

The Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, led by Gandhi, will resume from Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, on Sunday afternoon, as confirmed by the party.

The decision for Gandhi's visit to Wayanad comes in the wake of a tragic incident where a man was seriously injured in a wild elephant attack on Friday morning and subsequently succumbed to his injuries at the Kozhikode medical college.

The victim, an eco-tourism guide with the Forest department stationed at Kuruva Island, a popular tourist destination, was the only casualty of the attack.

In a statement on X, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh emphasized the urgency of Rahul Gandhi's presence in Wayanad.

Ramesh stated, "Rahul Gandhi’s presence is required urgently in Wayanad. He is leaving this evening from Varanasi at 5 PM. The Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra will resume at 3 PM tomorrow, February 18th, at Prayagraj."

After the elephant attack in Wayanad, a district-wide hartal was declared by the ruling LDF, opposition UDF, and BJP.

The hartal aimed to address the ongoing man-animal conflicts in the region, resulting in the closure of shops, business establishments, and vehicular movement across the district.

The Congress yatra entered Uttar Pradesh on Friday and will travel through the state before entering Rajasthan.

Rajesh Tiwari, Congress secretary in charge of Uttar Pradesh, clarified that while Rahul Gandhi won't participate in the Bhadohi leg of the yatra due to his departure for Wayanad, the yatra will proceed as planned.

Gandhi is expected to join the yatra in Prayagraj on Sunday afternoon.

The east-to-west Manipur-Mumbai yatra, covering 6,700 km through 15 states, aims to promote the message of 'nyay' (justice) while engaging with the common people along the route.