Jumbo attack: Second death in 2 days spreads panic in Pollachi tribal hamlet

According to the Forest Department, Mahali (55) was sitting in front of his hut at Navamalaipathi tribal hamlet in the middle of night when an elephant came from the forest. “Even as Mahali attempted to run away, the jumbo caught him by its trunk and flung him to the ground. He suffered serious injuries and died on spot. On hearing his loud screams, the neighbours rushed to the scene and chased away the elephant by raising a noise,” said a Forest official.

On receiving information, a Forest Department team led by Pollachi Forest Ranger Kasilingam rushed to the spot and sent the body of the deceased to Kottur Government Hospital for a post-mortem examination.

The villagers alleged that wild elephants have been frequenting their neighbourhood during night hours for the last three months, giving sleepless nights for residents. They added that the people there have been in panic, as the elephants have damaged several houses in the past.

On the night of May 24, M Ranjana, the seven-year-old daughter of Murugan, an anti-poaching watcher in the Forest Department, died in an elephant attack.

Around 7.30 pm, Ranjana and her mother M Chitra were returning from a grocery shop in Pollachi. As they were heading to their home in a tribal hamlet, an elephant chased the duo and trampled the little girl to death.

Following the back to back incidents of elephant attacks, the Forest Department has formed a 12-member team to monitor the movement of elephants to prevent any further conflicts in the area.