Elephant tramples tribal man to death in Idukki, fourth fatality in Devikulam range in four months
A 47-year-old tribal man, Vijayan, was trampled to death by a wild elephant at Panthadikkalam near Chinnakkanal in Idukki on Wednesday morning.
A 47-year-old tribal man was killed in a wild elephant attack at Panthadikkalam near Chinnakkanal, within the Devikulam forest range in Idukki, on Wednesday morning.
The deceased was identified as Vijayan, a resident of Panniyar in Santhanpara. Forest department officials said the attack took place around 6:30 a.m. while he was walking home from a work shed.
Local residents said Vijayan tried to run after he spotted the wild tusker, known in the area as "Chakkakompan," but the animal charged and trampled him.
The death is the second fatal elephant attack in the Chinnakkanal area in a single week and takes the toll from wild elephant attacks under the Devikulam range to four in the past four months.
On the night of September 17, Shiv Kumar, 30, a migrant labourer from Madhya Pradesh, was trampled to death by a wild elephant near Ayyanpara in Santhanpara. On August 27, S. Ochappan, 68, a farmer from Tamil Nadu, was killed at Thalakkulam near Pooppara. On June 8, Mari, 36, a Chinnakkanal resident, was killed and her 11-year-old son injured in another attack.
The Chinnakkanal area under the Devikulam forest range remains a hazard for residents amid escalating human-wildlife conflict.