A 35-year-old tusker, named Ramadas, swooned and died at Pozhikkara along the Paravur-Kollam coastal road on Wednesday morning. Ranjit from Puthenkulam is the custodian of the elephant.
Ramadas was taken to a temple festival at Eravipuram. On the return journey, it showed signs of fatigue and stopped walking. It refused to drink water.
The tusker then uprooted a coconut palm on the roadside, swooned and fell into a compound which was at a slightly lower elevation from the road. The elephant, which did not respond to commands from the mahouts, died soon afterwards.
On being informed by the custodian, officials from the Forest Department reached the scene and conducted the formalities. Veterinary officers performed a port-mortem. The carcass was cremated at the same site.
