KRISHNAGIRI : A 45-year-old man died in a wild elephant attack in Pansumandoddi village near Jawalagiri in Krishnagiri district on Thursday.
The deceased was D Paramesh, a farmer.He was trampled to death likely by a tuskless male elephant (makhna) in his farmland around 7 am on Thursday, said a forest department source.
Paramesh's village is less than a kilometre away from the Jawalagiri Reserved Forest. The elephant had ventured out of the forest for crop raid and returned to the forest after targeting Paramesh.
Villagers informed the forest and police departments and staged a demonstration in the village demanding Krishnagiri District Collector KM Sarayu to visit the spot.
The protesters did not allow the police to take Paramesh's body as they pleaded to prevent human-animal conflict in the area.
Denkanikottai Deputy Superintendent of Police Shanthi and Jawalagiri forest ranger Arivazhagan arrived and pacified the people. Paramesh's body was sent to Denkanikottai government hospital for autopsy on Thursday afternoon.
"A special 10-member team was formed to drive the single elephant located in Jawalagiri Reserved Forest to the interior forest to reduce human-animal conflict. Further, people in the surrounding villages like Palayam, Gollapalli, Sivanapalli, and Jawalagiri were warned not to venture out near the Reserve Forest in the wee hours and also at night," said an official.
The forest department provided a cheque for Rs 50,000 as an interim compensation to Paramesh's family and the remaining Rs 9. 50 lakh will be released once the family submits the necessary documents. Paramesh is survived by wife and three children.