IDUKKI: Wild elephant attack has claimed one more life in Idukki after a 22-year-old youth lost his life when a jumbo attacked him inside a teak plantation at Amelthotti in Vannappuram panchayat on Sunday.
The deceased is Amar Ilahi, of Paliyath house, Amelthotty, in Mullaringadu. His friend Mansoor, 41, suffered injuries while trying to run away from the elephant.
The incident happened on Sunday around 3:30 pm. Amar along with Mansoor had gone to bring back his cow which was left to graze in the teak plantation near his house. Meanwhile, two wild elephants which were standing inside the plantation came charging at the duo.
One of the jumbos trampled Amar, however, Mansoor managed to escape from being attacked by the other jumbo.
Local residents rushed to the spot hearing the men screaming and the trumpet of the tuskers. Though Amar was immediately taken to the Taluk hospital in Thodupuzha, his life couldn’t be saved. Mansoor, whose right leg was broken in the incident, is admitted at a private hospital in Thodupuzha.
Ward member Jijo Joseph told TNIE that wild elephants straying into human habitation and damaging the crops are frequent incidents in last two and half years. “However, this is the first time that wild elephants attacking a human is being reported in the panchayat,” he said.
He said the forest department has installed hanging fencing on a 3.5-kilometre stretch on road side.
“If the jumbos have to be prevented from entering the habitation area, fencing has to be erected on a 13-km stretch. The residents and local body representatives have held protests several times at the DFO office in Kothamangalam and at the range office in Mullaringad demanding steps to erect fencing around the habitation area,” he said.
However, Jijo opined that trenches are more effective than fencing and it needed no maintenance.
“The jumbos would easily damage the fencing and enter into the human habitat,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Kerala Karshaka Congress, Idukki unit expressed their protest over the unfortunate incident of a youth losing his life in wild elephant attack. Karshaka Congress demanded building trenches or fencing in forest boarder points in the wake of wild elephant attack rising in the district.
Meanwhile, the All India Kisan Sabha state vice president Mathew Varghese alleged that the apathy of the forest officials in taking steps to drive wild elephants back to the forest had resulted in the jumbo attacking youth in Mullaringad.
The UDF has called for a dawn-to-dusk hartal in Vannappuram on Monday.
Govt announces compensation
The government has announced a compensation of Rs 10 lakh to Amar’s family. Forest Minister A K Saseendran made the announcement after discussing the matter with the state disaster management department. He has also sought a detailed report from the Chief Wildlife Warden.