Forest watcher trampled to death by jumbo in Kovai

COIMBATORE: A 51-year-old watcher with the Forest Department in Coimbatore has been trampled to death by a wild elephant on Friday.

The deceased, Murugan, residing at Singampathi tribal village was working as a temporary staff with the Forest Department. Around 6.15 am, Murugan had gone to relieve himself in a toilet behind his house, when a wild elephant came charging at him. Shocked, Murugan took to his heels. However, the elephant chased and attacked him. On hearing his loud cries, the villagers came to his rescue.

A severely injured Murugan was rushed to Coimbatore Medical College Hospital (CMCH). However, he died without responding to treatment. The unfortunate death of the forest watcher came as a shock on World Elephant Day.

In another wildlife related development, a leopard was caught on camera making a leap into the compound of a house and attempting to prey on dogs in Ambikapuram village in Coonoor on Thursday night.

Meanwhile, four camera traps have been fixed in a tea estate to monitor a leopard, which mauled to death a four-year-old girl.