A 52-year-old farmer was seriously injured in an attack by a wild elephant at a ginger farm adjacent to the Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary on Tuesday.
Ayyappan of Thekkumpetta, near Kallur, was returning home at 7.30 a.m. after he left his cows to graze when the tusker blocked his way. Though he ran to a near-by ginger farm to escape from the pachyderm, it chased and pulled him down with its trunk, Forest Department sources said.
The elephant fled in panic after the neighbours screamed, they said. It also destroyed a temporary shed near a house and an auto rickshaw on its way to forest.
Mr. Ayyappan was admitted to the Taluk hospital at Sulthan Bathery , but later shifted to the Government Medical College Hospital, Kozhikode. He sustained injuries on his spine and ribs, Forest Department sources said.
Villagers protest
The incident sparked outrage among the people of the area and an irate mob blocked vehicular traffic on the Kozhikode-Kollagel National Highway 212 at Kallur in the district for around four hours. They alleged the government displayed laxity in ensuring protection to the villagers from the wild tusker. They also detained P. Dhaneshkumar, warden, Wayanad Wildlife sanctuary and other Forest personnel who reached the spot at around 10 a.m. The people wanted the animal killed, as it was creating panic in the area for many years. Later, the officials held a discussion with the leaders of the village and promised to provide free treatment to the victims and compensation to those who lost property in the attack. Meanwhile, Forest Minister K. Raju directed the officials to shift the elephant to the kraal at Muthanga under the sanctuary after tranquilising it. “We have started arrangements to shift the animal to the kraal, and the operation will begin on Monday, Mr.Dhaneshkumar said. The animal, aged about 25, is a habitual crop rider in the area and it had tried to attack many persons including Forest Department officials in the past but they escaped miraculously, he said.
