NILGIRIS: Residents of O-Valley staged a protest after a wild elephant killed a 35-year-old man in the village on Saturday. The protest continued on Sunday, following which the forest department deployed two kumkis to chase away the elephant.
The animal attacked security guard M Nowsath Ali and Named Jamal (45), inside a coffee plantation at Indira Nagar near Ambulimalai in Seaforth estate on Saturday at 4 pm while they were returning home after work. Nowsath died on the spot and Jamal got severely injured and was admitted to Gudalur government hospital.
Following the incident, relatives of the deceased along with locals staged a protest at Indira Nagar urging the Gudalur forest officials to capture the jumbo. On Sunday, the protesters opposed the authorities’ move to take the body for postmortem examination. “This is not the first incident.
The elephant had killed a few people in the area, alleged R Ranjit, coordinator of O-Valley Makkal Padhukappu Iyakkam. After 22 hours of protest, on Sunday at 3.30 pm, the forest department officials assured protesters that they will provide employment to one of the deceased’s family members apart from a cheque of Rs 5 lakh.
On Sunday evening, considering the condition of the body and the distance to Gudalur government hospital, a postmortem was carried out in O-valley and the body was handed over to the kin. The officials have also deployed two kumki elephants to catch the jumbo.
Further, two drones will monitor the animal and two forest range staff will track the animal to prevent it entering human habitation again. However, sources in the forest department said they are waiting for the Chief Wildlife warden’s approval to proceed further.
A forester said, “Nowsath and Named were attacked when they were returning home through a cut road, where coffee plants are grown abundantly on both sides. It is the duty of the estate authorities to provide transportation facilities to their workers and have already informed to estate management. Officials have already warned the estate management that we will register a case if they don't clear the bushes or fail to inform their workers about the elephant moment.”