Anukumar undergoing treatment at the Pathanamthitta General Hospital. (Photo | EPS)
PATHANAMTHITTA: It proved a “tall order” for the tiger that attacked a man in the Sabarimala forests on Tuesday! Anukumar V S, who was left injured, believes his height helped him survive the ambush.
“Normally, tigers target the neck as this ensures a quick kill. I am 6ft tall and my height, I believe, saved me from the jaws of death,” says the 44-year-old at the Pathanamthitta General Hospital.
Anukumar underwent surgery on his right knee on Wednesday. But he is still to recover from the shock of the attack, which left him with injuries on his thigh and legs. “It is a miracle how I survived,” says the daily-wage worker.
“In the past, I have seen herds of elephants, bison and even leopards while at work. But, this was the first time I had seen a tiger,” says Anukumar, who lives with his two sons and wife at Angamoozhy, in the district.
Anukumar had arrived at Kottamonpara in Ranni on Tuesday morning to clear the dense thicket along the high-tension Moozhiyar-Pallom power line. He was part of a group of 22 people, including KSEB officials. Some of my co-workers had reported sighting a tiger nearby in the morning. “But we weren’t too anxious, as tigers do not attack people in groups. I was at the end of our row and working with a wood saw around 12.30 pm,” he recounts.
Suddenly, the animal emerged from the bush and attacked me from behind. “It jumped, but my right knee, and pulled me to the ground. Though I fell, it could not catch my neck as I am tall. It bit my left thigh and waist,” Anukumar said, adding his cries for help alerted his friends who ran towards him.
Sensing a commotion, the tiger fled leaving Anukumar on the ground. His friends carried him on their shoulders for around one-and-a-half hours to the Seethathodu primary health centre. From there he was taken to Pathanamthitta General Hospital.
