Kalpetta: A 45-year-old man was trampled to death by a wild elephant in Noolpuzha in Sulthan Bathery, Wayanad, on Monday night, triggering protests from local residents.
The deceased, identified as Manu (45) of Kappad Tribal Settlement in Chettyalathur ward, was attacked while returning from a shop. His body was discovered by local residents in a field near the forest on Tuesday morning. Reports state that his wife is missing. The forest department has launched a search operation in the area.
Angered by the incident, local residents have prevented forest department officials from shifting Manu’s body, demanding that the district collector visit the site before allowing the post-mortem.
According to local Congress MLA I.C.Balakrishnan, Manu was attacked when he was returning from a shop and there are reports that one more person is understood to be injured.
This is the second fatal wildlife attack in Wayanad within a month. On January 24, a coffee plantation worker named Radha (45) was killed by a tiger in Pancharakolli, Mananthavady. Manu’s death marks the ninth fatal wildlife attack in Wayanad in the past decade.
The district, which shares borders with Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, is surrounded by dense forests home to tigers, wild elephants, and wild boars. Residents, particularly those living near forest areas, continue to live in fear of recurring attacks.
On Monday, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi visited the families of three people who had lost their lives in wild animal attacks in her constituency. The affected families have demanded stronger protection measures, including the construction of walls to prevent wildlife incursions. However, the forest department has suggested a more practical approach of digging fresh trenches to keep wild animals out of human settlements.
The ongoing man-animal conflict remains a major concern in Kerala, frequently discussed in both Parliament and the Kerala Assembly. With peak summer approaching, officials warn that the number of wild animal intrusions into human settlements is likely to rise.
With IANS inputs
