KALPETTA: A man was trampled to death and four forest officers injured in a wild elephant attack at Panamaram in Wayanad on Tuesday morning. The deceased is Kaliyar Thotathil Raghavan, 74, a native of Kuppumchal in Panamaram. According to the Forest Department officers, Raghavan was returning home after supplying milk at a shop around 6 am when he was attacked by the wild elephant.
Later, the local residents found him and took him to Manathavady District Hospital, but his life could not be saved. “Four department officers who tried to send the elephant back to the forest were also attacked by the animal. They suffered minor injuries and were immediately taken to a hospital,” said Range Forest Officer Biju K V.
The forest officers suspect the elephant must have entered human inhabited area early Tuesday morning. Following the wild animal attack, Wayanad Sub-Collector N S K Umesh enforced section 144 of CrPC that prohibits the public from visiting a particular area, at Cherukattoor village near Panamaram.