A farmer’s house was damaged in an attack by a wild elephant at Marathode near Peedikappara in Kozhikode district on Wednesday. The elephant that strayed into the residential area early in the morning also destroyed crops in several nearby fields.
It was the second such incident within two weeks in the village which is close to the forest. Lissy Cherumukham whose house was attacked on Wednesday said it was a frightening experience for the whole family and that no one could come to their rescue.
“The elephant was extremely violent and Forest Department officials did not even respond to our emergency calls,” she alleged.
The elephant also destroyed the solar fences erected by farmers for their self-protection in the area. Local residents said several plantain trees, coconut trees and spice crops, including nutmeg, were uprooted in the jumbo fury.
T. Jose, one of the settler farmers in the area, said they would be compelled to launch an indefinite hunger stir in front of the Forest Range office if the Forest Department officials were continuing their cold approach in the issue. He also alleged that forest squads were ill-equipped to face such situations.
