COIMBATORE: A seven-year-old boy was injured after a wild gaur crashed through the tiled roof of a house in Ooty on Tuesday night.

According to the forest department, a herd of gaurs had strayed out of the forest in search of food and water in a tribal settlement inhabited by Todas near Government Botanical Garden (GBG).

“One of the animals slipped and fell onto the roof of a house located in a low lying area, while the rest of the herd retreated into the forest,” said a forest official.

In the impact, the tile roofing was shattered and the animal crashed into the house, where a family of four was asleep. Seven-year-old Prasanna Kuttan sustained severe head injuries after broken tiles fell on him. His parents and siblings escaped unhurt, though they were left shaken by the incident.

Neighbours, alerted by the loud noise, rushed to the spot and opened the door, allowing the frightened animal to exit the house. The injured boy was immediately taken to the Government Hospital in Ooty, where he was sutured in head for injury and continues to be under treatment.

Villagers claimed that a major tragedy was averted as the animal did not fall onto the sleeping family members. They urged the forest department to initiate concrete measures to prevent wild animals from entering their residential neighbourhood.