A lone tusker entered a human habitat at Alathur near Kattikulam in Wayanad district on Wednesday morning creating panic among local people after it trampled to death a tribal man and attacked two persons.
The deceased has been identified as Kunhilan ,70, of the Alathur tribal hamlet near Kattikulam in the district.
According to Forest Department sources, the 22-year-old tusker had entered the village from Manivayal forest near Panavally under the North Wayanad forest division on Tuesday night. The jumbo attacked Vinod of Thrissilerykuni, who was riding his scooter at Vellamcherry, and destroyed a goods carrier and an autorickshaw at Panavally on its way.
Shabu and Unnikrishnan of Eranhikkal, who was the pillion rider on the scooter, were admitted to the Mananthavady district hospital with minor injuries.
On receiving information, a team of forest officials rushed to the spot. The forest personnel were detained by a group of villagers seeking protection from recurring wildlife attacks and demanding adequate compensation for their loss.
Later, O.R. Kelu, MLA, and K.C. Prasad, North Wayanad divisional forest officer, held a discussion with villagers and assured them that adequate compensation would be given to the vehicle owners and steps would be adopted to mitigate man-animal conflict in the area.
Coffee estate
Meanwhile, the tusker killed Kunhilan, an estate worker on a coffee estate at Vellanchery around 9.15.a.m. The incident provoked the villagers and they tried to manhandle forest officials, including Begur forest range officer Najmal Ameen.
Later, the officials assured the villagers that adequate compensation would be given to the kin of the deceased.
Finally, the forest personnel managed to push the tusker into the Kayikkolly section of the forest under the Begur forest range around 10 a.m.
