A 45-year-old tribal man named Damu, was trampled to death by a wild elephant in Aralam, here on Thursday morning.
In the incident, which took place at about 9 a.m., Damu, a tribal person residing in the 7th Block of Aralam farm, was killed by the elephant. He was attacked when he went to cut down a cane. So far, ten people have been killed by the elephant in Aralam.
The situation has turned tense in the farm with people gathering to raise a strong protest and demanding a solution to the growing man-animal conflict in this region.
On Wednesday, the wild elephants damaged a two-wheeler vehicle in Aralam Palapuzha belonging to Satish Narayanan, a security employee of Aralam Farm. Similarly, a herd of wild animals in Payavoor which were stationed in this residential area till dawn, destroyed many crops including bananas plantation in the area.
Forest officials are trying to drive the elephant away into the forest. Officials from the revenue department, ranger officers and members of the divisional forest office from the Aralam wildlife sanctuary have been stationed there.
Kannur District Forest Officer P Karthick says that the elephants are currently at the 7th block as it has thick vegetation. It is a rehabilitation area allotted for tribal persons from Wayanad. However, it has not been occupied and the thick vegetation has grown over the area and has become a safe haven for the elephants.
Heavy rains has further made things difficult to drive the elephants away, the DFO says and adds that the animals are likely to return despite their efforts.
