KALPETTA: A 65-year-old tribal woman was killed in a wild elephant attack in Thirunelli, Wayanad. The body of Chandini, a member of the Paniya community from Cherumathur Unnati in Appapara, was found inside the forest under the Thirunelli forest station limits on Friday.
Chandini was a resident of the Aloor tribal settlement at Paralikunnu near Kambalakkad. Forest officials said she had been staying with her daughter Priya at Cherumathur settlement in Appapara. However, she went missing on Thursday night. Forest officials carried out a search during which her body was found along the uphill stretch of the Panavalli-Appapara forest road.
Officials also spotted fresh footprints of a wild elephant in the area.
Thirunelli Forest Range Officer Ranjith Kumar S said Chandini left her daughter’s house around 11.30pm on Thursday to visit another daughter at Panavalli Unnati.
“When she failed to reach her destination, the family became anxious and informed the forest department. During a search, her body was recovered inside the forest,” he said. The postmortem examination conducted at Mananthavady Medical College confirmed that the cause of death was an elephant attack.
“She suffered severe injuries to the chest due to trampling, and there were also marks indicating that the tusks had pierced her body,” the officer added.
Forest officials said movement through forest roads at night had been banned due to the ongoing breeding season. “There are strict restrictions in place. Chandini appears to have taken a shortcut through the forest, avoiding the forest guards. It is suspected that she was attacked by a herd, possibly accompanied by a calf,” Ranjith said
He further said that Minister O R Kelu has directed officials to ensure prompt compensation to the family. “An initial instalment will be released immediately,” he added. Chandini’s body was handed over to her relatives after postmortem examination and cremated at Appapara Unnati on Friday evening.