M. Ganesamoorthy (48), a farmer of Cittepalayam village close to the reserve forest at Sirumugai, was trampled to death by a wild elephant on Saturday night when he tried to chase the elephant, which was preying on his agricultural land.
The animal was chased into the forest by the forest and police personnel with the help of villagers.
The death sparked tension as his family and villagers staged a protest condemning the forest department for not fulfilling their long-pending demands. Sirumugai Police said that the man suffered multiple injuries and fractures on his skull when the elephant trampled him. The villagers refused to take the body from the place for post-mortem examination.
Citing that it was the second such death due to elephant trampling in that area this year, they added that two others were injured in elephant attacks this year.
They urged the forest personnel to provide powerful torch lights to farmers, increase the stretch of trenches to prevent elephants from coming out of the forest, increase the number of anti-poaching watchers, and provide a jeep for department staff for night patrolling.
Villagers claimed that the family of a man who was killed by an elephant in January this year is yet to get the compensation.
They allowed the police to take the body only after the Sirumugai Ranger agreed to arrange for talks for villagers with the district forest officer in a week.
Forest personnel gave an initial compensation of Rs. 50,000 to the victim’s father Mathegowder.
