PALAKKAD: A 58-year-old watcher who accompanied forest officers to chase away wild elephants died after being attacked by an elephant in the Walayar forests here on Friday.
The deceased, Mohanan, was part of a team of watchers deployed to chase away two wild elephants which had been straying in the Paittakad-Velencherry-Kottamutti area for the past three days. While chasing away the elephants, Mohanan backtracked and ran away after sensing danger. But the elephant hit him from behind and trampled him. Though he was rushed to the district hospital, he was declared brought dead.
Administrative Reforms Commission chairman V S Achuthanandan has urged the state government to provide a government job to the dependents of Mohanan