COIMBATORE: An elephant attack near Gudalur claimed the lives of two daily wage workers and triggered protests by villagers on Monday.
The deceased, Ningaraj (68) and Ravi (60), were residents of Karakunnu village under Devarshola Town Panchayat. According to officials, the two men went to the local bazaar on Sunday evening to purchase household essentials, but did not return home.
Their bodies were discovered by workers amid the bushes at a tea plantation on Monday morning. Shocked by the discovery, the workers alerted the police and the forest department. Officials who reached the spot conducted a preliminary inquiry and said the men were suspected to have died in an elephant attack.
Tension escalated soon after, with family members and residents refusing to allow authorities to move the bodies for a post-mortem examination.
Led by Gudalur AIADMK MLA Pon Jayaseelan, villagers staged a protest demanding stronger measures to prevent frequent elephant intrusions into human settlements.
Senior officials from the revenue, forest and police departments later reached the site and held discussions with the protesters. Authorities assured residents that additional monitoring measures would be implemented, including the installation of artificial intelligence-based surveillance cameras and faster response to distress calls related to elephant movement.
Following the assurances, the villagers withdrew the protest. The bodies were later sent to the Gudalur Government Hospital for post-mortem and subsequently handed over to the families. Forest department personnel have also initiated efforts to drive away elephants reportedly camping in nearby areas.
In a separate incident, an 80-year-old woman was killed in an elephant attack near Anthiyur in Erode on Sunday. According to officials, Ramkumar (20) of Kakkayanur, located within the Anthiyur forest area, found a woman's body on Sunday. He informed the police and also the forest personnel.
A team of forest officials from Anthiyur, along with police, rushed to the spot. The woman identified as Meena was found lying dead with injuries on her body. The woman usually goes to the forest to collect Tamarind. On Sunday, she went to the forest and did not return.
The woman's body was shifted to the Anthiyur Government Hospital, and the post-mortem revealed that she was trampled to death by an elephant. The police have registered a case and are investigating.