On Friday, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s office in Kainatty near Kalpetta was vandalized by Students Federation of India (SFI) activists.

The mob, irked by the recent Supreme Court order mandating an eco-sensitive zone (ESZ) of a kilometre around all protected areas, wildlife sanctuaries and national parks, demanded that Gandhi break his silence on the matter.

Congress said chairs were smashed and office workers were beaten. Tension is rife in the area.

Last week the Supreme Court ordered that every protected forest, national park and wildlife sanctuary in India should have a mandatory ESZ of a minimum of 1 km starting from their demarcated boundaries.

In response, the Kerala Forest Department has begun a study on the likely impact of human habitations on the implementation of the SC order.

Rahul Gandhi is a member of parliament from Wayanad, Kerala.