Elephant kills four in Podanur

According to the Coimbatore DFO, the dead were identified as Gayathri (12), Palanisamy (73), Nagarathinam (55) and M Jothimani (68). The same elephant had earlier attacked anti-poaching watchers at Madukkarai on Wednesday night when they attempted to chase it into the forest. 

According to Coimbatore CCF (Chief Conservator of Forests), I Anwardeen, the wild male elephant, roughly aged 25 years, was at Marudhamali four days ago. It moved to Kanjikonapalayam 7 km away and attacked two women who were out for a walk and a farmer. 

The tragedy occurred when forest officals lost track of the elephant for few minutes. 

Following the attacks, two Kumki elephants, Mariappan and Kaleem, are headed for the site and another two kumkis Paari and Sujay have also been requisitioned from Sadivayal. A tranquillising team is awaiting the kumkis arrival to tranquillise the rampaging jumbo by evening.