PALAKKAD: A 22-year-old youth was killed and his mother critically injured in a wild elephant attack at Kannadanchola in Kayaramkode ward of Mundur panchayat, Palakkad, on Sunday night.
The deceased, Allen Joseph, and his mother, Viji, were returning home from a nearby shop around 8 pm when a wild elephant emerged unexpectedly during a power outage and attacked them.
According to reports, the elephant charged at Allen, knocked him down, and trampled him to death. The body has been kept at the mortuary of the Palakkad District Government Hospital.
Viji, who suffered serious injuries to her shoulder blade, was admitted to the district hospital before being shifted to the Thrissur Government Medical College Hospital for advanced treatment.
“This is a horrifying tragedy. Allen, a diploma student, had just returned home from his ancestral house in Kottayam earlier in the day. The power outage made it impossible for them to spot the elephant,” said Lakshmanan V, vice-president of Mundur panchayat. Forest department officials arrived at the scene within half an hour and confirmed the presence of three wild elephants in the area.
Jumbo attack: Youth’s death sparks outrage
“The region borders dense forest, and wild elephant sightings have increased over the past week. We were already attempting to drive them back using firecrackers,” a senior forest officer said.
The incident has sparked outrage and fear among residents, who blamed authorities for their delayed response despite repeated warnings. Many questioned the adequacy of forest department measures and the safety of communities living along forest fringes.
Malampuzha MLA A Prabhakaran said “This is not an isolated case. Elephant attacks and crop destruction have become a recurring nightmare for the people. I will raise this matter with the chief minister and demand a permanent and immediate solution.”