NILGIRIS: A 58-year-old postwoman, who was injured in a wild elephant attack in front of her husband at Bokkapuram Road near Masinagudi in Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (MTR), died without responding to treatment at the Udagamandalam government hospital on Monday.
According to forest department sources, the deceased was identified as K Sarasu, a temporary staff at the post office branch in Masinagudi. Sarasu and her husband Kumarasamy were returning to Masinagudi after visiting their relatives around 6.15 pm when the incident occurred.
After noticing the elephant walking on the roadside on Bokkapuram Road, Kumarasamy stopped his bike. However, the jumbo ran towards them and attacked Sarasu, while Kumarasamy escaped. Forest department officials said the female elephant crushed Sarasu’s head. “Fellow motorists took her to the Masinagudi GH, and subsequently shifted to the Udagamandalam GH. She died at 9pm,” said a forest official.
“We have given an initial compensation of Rs 50,000 for performing the final rites, and will soon release the remaining Rs 9.5 lakh once the legal heir certificate and medical records are ready,” officials said.