Kochi | Wild animals entering inhabited areas should feel physical pain, only then will they refrain from doing so in the future, Congress MLA Roji M John said.

If wild boars entering populated areas are shot down, the people should be allowed to cook and eat them instead of burning the carcass with kerosene, he insisted.

Speaking at the UDF's 'Malayora Samara Yatra' protest march here recently, the MLA from Angamaly constituency further said that people should have the right to shoot down wild animals destroying their crops and property.

"Let it be any wild animal which enters inhabited areas, it should feel physical pain. Be it an elephant, tiger or any other wild animal. If the animal realises it will suffer pain if it enters populated areas, it will stop doing so," the MLA said.

His comments were made in the presence of senior party leaders, including the Leader of Opposition in state Assembly V D Satheesan.

A few days ago, another Congress MLA, Sunny Joseph, had called for a law to allow cooking wild boars with coconut oil instead of burying them by pouring kerosene.

Speaking during UDF's 'Malayora Samara Yatra' event in Kannur, Joseph criticised the current rule, which, according to him, requires that wild boars shot using licensed guns be buried after pouring kerosene on them.

The UDF is carrying out the protest march to highlight growing concerns over wildlife attacks and the financial struggles of farmers in the hilly regions of Kerala.