In a tragic incident, a 42-year-old man lost his life after being attacked by a wild elephant that ventured into a human settlement near Mananthavady in Kerala on Saturday morning. The victim, identified as Aji, succumbed to his injuries at Mananthavady Medical College, where he was rushed following the attack around 7:30 am.
CCTV footage captured the terrifying moment when the wild elephant, equipped with a radio collar, broke through a compound wall and launched a fatal assault on the unsuspecting victim.
The tragic incident sparked outrage among locals, prompting a spontaneous protest as enraged residents blocked several key roads, including the Mananthavady-Mysore, Mananthavady-Kozhikode, and Thalassery routes. The demonstration escalated as protestors halted the vehicles of the local MLA and the District police chief, chanting “go back” slogans.
Reacting to the incident, Kerala Forest Minister A K Saseendran expressed shock over the man’s death and acknowledged the escalating instances of man-animal conflicts in Wayanad as a pressing concern. Just the previous night, a forest wildlife watcher had been critically injured in a tiger attack, further exacerbating the situation.
Assuring swift action, Minister Saseendran announced plans to dispatch additional response teams to the affected area. The authorities are deliberating on whether to relocate the rogue elephant back to the forest or transfer it to a rehabilitation center.
Locals vented their frustration, alleging negligence on the part of the forest department for failing to issue timely warnings about the elephant’s presence in the vicinity. To mitigate further risks, the district administration has imposed prohibitory orders in multiple wards of Mananthavady.
This incident adds to the recent spate of wildlife encounters in the region. Notably, a radio-collared elephant named ‘Thanneer Komban,’ originating from Karnataka, had ventured into Mananthavady town weeks ago, causing chaos before its eventual tranquilization and transfer back to Karnataka, where it tragically passed away.
As the community grapples with the aftermath of this tragedy, concerns over human-wildlife conflicts persist, underscoring the urgent need for comprehensive measures to safeguard both human lives and wildlife habitats.
Sources By Agencies