Kottayam, July 9 -- The menace of otters in the Meenachil River and its tributaries is growing increasingly severe, causing panic among residents living along the riverbanks, primarily due to the dumping of slaughterhouse waste into the water bodies.
Residents have urged the government to declare otters as vermin, citing the growing threat they pose.
The issue is most acute in areas such as Vijayapuram, Kumarakom, Aymanam, Arpookkara, Thiruvathukkal, Kottayam, and Thazhathangadi in Kerala.
Tragedy struck recently when a woman from Velur died of a suspected heart attack after being bitten by an otter and receiving an anti-rabies injection.
Local people, especially those living near rivers and lakes, are now afraid to enter the water. Rou...