IDUKKI: A routine school run turned fatal in Suryanelli near Chinnakkanal on Monday when a 36-year-old single mother was killed in a wild elephant attack while accompanying her 11-year-old son to catch his school bus.
Mari, daughter of Vella Swamy and a resident of Sinkukandam, was attacked around 8.30 am near Suryanelli town after she and her son Dakshan unexpectedly came face-to-face with a mother elephant and its calf amid heavy rain and dense fog. Dakshan, a Class V student, sustained serious injuries and was shifted to the Kottayam Government Medical College Hospital for advanced treatment.
According to forest officials, elephants had been present in the Suryanelli area since morning, and warning messages about their movement had been circulated through local WhatsApp groups. However, poor visibility due to heavy rain and fog prevented the family from spotting the animals in time.
“The area was experiencing dense fog and rain. Mari was bringing her son to the roadside to board the school bus when they suddenly encountered the elephants. We had been issuing regular alerts regarding elephant presence in the area,” a forest official said.
The tragedy sparked protests by residents and relatives of the victim, who temporarily blocked the removal of Mari’s body for post-mortem examination, demanding immediate assistance for the family and stronger measures to address recurring human-elephant conflict in the region. “My sister was attacked this morning. She has no husband and was raising two children alone. Who will take care of those children now?” Mari’s brother said.
“We will not allow the body to be taken away until a decision is made.”
Some residents also expressed frustration over the continuing threat posed by elephants in the area. “If an elephant had died, officials from everywhere would have rushed here. We need concrete decisions to protect people,” a resident said during the protest. The body was later shifted to the Idukki Government Medical College Hospital for post-mortem examination following discussions between officials, local
representatives and residents.
Forest officials announced that Rs 5 lakh compensation would be handed over immediately to Mari’s family. In contrast, the remaining Rs 5 lakh would be released within two days after receipt of the post-mortem report.
An all-party meeting held at Chinnakkanal on Monday demanded urgent intervention to reduce the growing human-elephant conflict in the region.
Residents said the incident occurred despite regular warning messages from the forest department regarding elephant movement. They noted that people in Chinnakkanal and Suryanelli often have to continue with their daily routines, including travelling to schools, workplaces and farms, even when elephants are reported nearby. Monday’s heavy rain and dense fog further reduced visibility, increasing the risk of an accidental encounter.
The latest death has once again drawn attention to the challenges of managing human-elephant interactions in Chinnakkanal, where the forest department estimates suggest around 50 people have died in elephant-related incidents since the 1990s.
Officials attribute the recurring conflicts to a combination of shrinking elephant habitat, disrupted movement corridors and increasing human activity in traditional elephant-use areas. Although the Chinnakkanal reserve covers around 395 hectares, only about 195 hectares function as effective habitat for a herd of approximately 18 elephants. Forest officials have also pointed to obstructions along traditional elephant movement routes and the expansion of settlements in historical elephant corridors as factors contributing to conflict in the region.
Meanwhile, Kerala Forest Minister Shibu Baby John on Monday said that the state government is committed to protecting the lives and property of people living in forest border areas. He said the government will go to every humanly possible extent to address concerns over rising wildlife attacks.
In a Facebook post, the minister said safeguarding people residing along forest fringes is one of the government's foremost responsibilities.
His statement comes in the wake of the Opposition's criticism against rising incidents of human-wildlife conflict in Kerala.
The minister said that although certain constraints arising from central laws exist, the government is not prepared to remain inactive because of them.
"Along with protecting forests and wildlife, the state government is committed to embracing and safeguarding people living in forest border regions and will go to every humanly possible extent to ensure their safety," he said.
John said wildlife attacks can be effectively prevented only through cooperation between the Forest Department and local communities.
Human-wildlife conflict was one of the key issues during the Assembly election campaign, with the UDF promising to address the problem if voted to power.
John recently unveiled a 100-day action plan aimed at reducing human-wildlife conflict in the state.
(With inputs from PTI)
