Daily wager trampled by wild elephant in Masinagudi
The deceased, identified by the forest department as Puttunathan, a daily wage labourer from a neighbourhood near Masinagudi, was walking to Madhukatta village near Bokkapuram, when a wild elephant emerged from the thicket. The elephant attacked and left him critically injured, before retreating into the forest.
Representative Image
CHENNAI: A 42-year-old man was trampled to death by a wild elephant near Masinagudi in Gudalur on Tuesday.
The deceased, identified by the forest department as Puttunathan, a daily wage labourer from a neighbourhood near Masinagudi, was walking to Madhukatta village near Bokkapuram, when a wild elephant emerged from the thicket. The elephant attacked and left him critically injured, before retreating into the forest.
On hearing his loud cries, the villagers rushed to the spot and rushed Puttunathan to a Primary Health Centre (PHC) in Masinagudi and then to Ooty Government Hospital; however, he died on the way. A post-mortem was performed at Ooty GH, and the body was handed over to the family members.
In Valparai, a wild elephant strayed into the workers' residential quarters area at Kurangumudi Estate around noon. As panic prevailed, a team of anti-poaching watchers from the Manambolly forest range arrived and commenced the operation to drive away the elephant.
The workers who were working in the estates were first asked to move to safety. The elephant, which had become furious, attempted to charge the forest department staff, who escaped by entering houses located in the area. They then managed to chase the elephant into the forest area. A team has been deployed to prevent any further intrusion of the wild elephant.
