TIRUCHY: A 70-year-old farmer who was admitted to the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Government Hospital (MGMGH) after coming under wild boar attack on Monday night died without responding to treatment on Wednesday.
Another farmer from a nearby village who also is suspected to have been attacked by the same boar continues to receive treatment at a private hospital, sources said.
The deceased has been identified as M Ganapathi of Uthamarseeli near Kallanai in the district.
Hospital sources said Ganapathi’s advanced age, coupled with co-morbidities such as pressure, diabetes and the severe blood loss he suffered during the wild animal attack, might have led to his death.
The other farmer, N Sahadevan (45) of Kilikoodu, continues to be treated at the private hospital.
On Monday evening, the two farmers, who were working at their farm in Kilikoodu and Uthamarseeli - located about two kilometres apart - were attacked by a wild boar within a gap of around 45 minutes.
Meanwhile, two teams of the forest department comprising five members each have intensified their search operation for the boar by placing two cages and nets at several spots in the villages, Forest Range Officer (Tiruchy) VP Subramanian told TNIE.
According to forest officials, as per norms, the kin of the deceased will be provided Rs 50,000 towards funeral expenses.
After completing legal procedures, they will be given a further cash relief of Rs 10 lakh.
Meanwhile, Srirangam taluk-level functionaries of the CPM have called for a protest in front of the MGMGH on Thursday, where Ganapathi’s body is being kept, condemning the forest department for “failing to protect” farmers from wild boar attacks.
They alleged that farmers in the locality have been suffering wild boar attacks for several years. It is said that Ganapathi was a CPM member.