COIMBATORE: A 70-year-old woman had a lucky escape after a wild male elephant tossed her aside outside her home near Karadimadai locality in Madhampatti in Coimbatore district. The animal also attacked two others including a 14-year-old girl.
The elderly woman, who has been identified as Nagammal, has severe injuries on her head and back. She was taken to the Coimbatore Medical College and Hospital (CMCH) in an 108 ambulance.
She is a helper at a farm near Black Mariyamman temple in Karadimadai village coming under the Madukkarai forest range Forest department sources said Nagammal was sleeping on the veranda and the incident happened at 12.30 am on Wednesday. She reportedly pleaded saying Lord ‘Vinayaga’ and ‘Ganesha’ as she came under attack from the tusker.
The elephant returned after flinging her and entered a nearby shed where farm workers were sleeping and rice bags were stored. The animal also damaged the shed and pulled out horse gram. Nagammal stumbled before the elephant as she came to the entrance of the house after hearing some sound. Soon, the tusker charged and flung her.
Another house maid, Dhanalakshmi, who was sleeping woke up along with a girl and shouted for help. However, the elephant pushed them aside. Dhanalakshmi was injured at her hip and the girl’s right leg was fractured.
The CCTV footage of the incident has gone viral on social media. Coimbatore forest division personnel are tracking the tusker.