Captive elephant attacks mahout at Theppakadu camp in Mudumalai

COIMBATORE: A mahout sustained serious injuries after being attacked by a captive elephant, Masini, at the Theppakadu elephant camp in Mudumalai on Friday evening.

According to the forest department, the injured mahout, Bomman (45), was returning the elephant to its enclosure after bathing it in the Moyar river when Masini suddenly turned aggressive and attacked him.

Bomman’s cries alerted other mahouts, who rushed to the spot and managed to bring the elephant under control before rescuing him. He was initially taken to the Government Hospital in Gudalur and later referred to the Government Medical College Hospital in Ooty for advanced treatment.

As part of its routine, captive elephants at the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve are taken into forest areas for patrol duties during the day, bathed in the Moyar River in the evening, and then returned to their enclosures. Forest Department officials have launched an inquiry into the incident, noting that Masini has a history of aggressive behaviour.

Masini had previously fatally attacked a mahout, G. C. Balan (54), in 2023 at the Abhayaranyam camp in Mudumalai. In an earlier incident in 2018, the elephant reportedly killed another mahout, Gajendran, at the Samayapuram Mariamman Temple in Tiruchirappalli.

The elephant was originally rescued as a 15-day-old calf in 2006 after being found abandoned near the Masaniamman Temple in the Kargudi range of Mudumalai. It was subsequently named Masini after the temple name.

Masini was raised at Mudumalai until 2015, when it was gifted to the Samayapuram temple. However, following behavioural changes, it was brought back to Mudumalai in 2019 after incidents of aggression, based on court directions.

Since its return, the elephant has been under continuous care at the camp, which houses 28 captive elephants across Theppakadu and Abhayaranyam facilities. While officials say its health has improved over the years, Friday’s incident has once again raised concerns over its unpredictable behaviour.

Residents protest elephant intrusions in Cherambadi

Residents of Cherambadi and neighbouring villages in Pandalur taluk staged a protest outside the Cherambadi Forest Range Office on Friday, demanding immediate action to curb recurring wild elephant intrusions.

The protest came after a herd of six elephants, including calves, entered Kannampalli near Cherambadi on Thursday night and damaged the kitchen of a house while searching for food. In a separate incident, a Class 12 student of a Government Higher Secondary School in Cherambadi narrowly escaped after being chased by a wild elephant while returning home from school.