A 42-year-old man lost his life in a wild elephant attack on Saturday morning that occurred near Kerala’s Mananthavady. The victim, identified as Aji, passed away at Mananthavady Medical College where he was rushed after the attack took place around 7:30 am today, according to police, news agency PTI reported. CCTV footage captured the distressing moment when a wild elephant fitted with a radio collar breached the compound wall of a residence and launched a fatal assault on the man.
The Kerala government announced Rs 10 lakh compensation while also assuring a job to one of the family members of the 42-year-old man.
According to the PTI, Forest Minister A K Saseendran described the incident as “shocking” and expressed concern over the recurring incidents of human-wildlife conflict in Wayanad. He mentioned a recent incident where a forest wildlife watcher sustained severe injuries in a tiger attack and is currently undergoing medical treatment.
The Minister said more response teams will be dispatched to the area and a decision on whether to drive the elephant back into the forest or relocate it to a rehabilitation center would be made soon. Saseendran said the Chief Minister’s office looked into the concerns of the people of Wayanad, who are experiencing animal attacks and subsequent crop damage.
In response to the incident, local residents expressed their outrage by staging impromptu protests, blocking major routes including the Mananthavady-Mysore, Mananthavady-Kozhikode, and Thalassery roads. The protest escalated as vehicles belonging to the area’s MLA and the District police chief were obstructed by demonstrators chanting ‘go back’.
Local residents alleged that the elephant had crossed the Kerala border and entered the Kuruvadweep area early in the morning, criticizing the forest department for failing to issue timely warnings. To address safety concerns, the district administration has implemented prohibitory orders in multiple wards of Mananthavady.
