Kerala: Protest in Wayanad after wild elephant attack leaves 1 dead

Wayanad (Kerala), Feb 10 (PTI) A 42-year-old man died after being attacked by a wild elephant that strayed into human settlement near Mananthavady here on Saturday morning, police said.

Aji died at Mananthavady medical college where he was admitted following the attack that occurred at around 7.30 am today, they said.

CCTV visuals showed the wild elephant fitted with a radio collar damaging the compound wall of a house and attacking the man.

Meanwhile, angered locals staged a flash protest by blocking the Mananthavady-Mysore, Mananthavady-Kozhikode and Thalassery roads.

The vehicles of the local MLA and the District police chief were also blocked by the agitators, who raised 'go back' slogans.

Kerala Forest Minister A K Saseendran termed as 'shocking' the death of the man and said the frequent news of man-animal conflict coming from Wayanad was a matter of concern.

On Friday night a forest wildlife watcher was grievously injured in a tiger attack and he is undergoing treatment, he said.

The Minister said more response teams will be sent to the locality and a decision on whether to drive it back into the forest or capture it and take it to the rehabilitation centre, will be taken soon.

Saseendran said the Chief Minister's office was looking into the concerns of the people of Wayanad, who are suffering from animal attacks and the subsequent crop loss.

Locals alleged that the elephant crossed Kerala border and reached Kuruvadweep locality early in the morning but the forest department failed to announce the same and warn the people from venturing out.

Currently, the district administration has issued prohibitory orders in multiple wards of Mananthavady.

Recently, a jumbo from Karnataka, called 'Thanneer Komban', fitted with a radio collar had ventured into Mananthavady town and roamed the streets for over 16 hours after which it was tranquilised. However, upon being shifted to Karnataka, that elephant had died. PTI