A 56-year old was trampled to death by a wild elephant in Erumeli Thulapally Manipadi, in the Sabarimala forest boundary area on Monday morning. While Kerala's lush forests are home to a diverse range of wildlife, including elephants, encounters between humans and wild animals can sometimes lead to unfortunate incidents like this. The state has been grappling with issues related to human-wildlife conflict due to shrinking habitats and increasing human encroachment into wildlife territories.
Kerala Police swiftly responded to the incident. Wildlife authorities are often involved in managing such situations, including efforts to mitigate human-wildlife conflicts and ensure the safety of both people and animals. Kerala has a history of human-elephant conflicts, with incidents reported periodically across various regions of the state. Addressing the root causes of these conflicts, such as habitat fragmentation, human encroachment, and conservation efforts, remains a priority for wildlife authorities and conservationists. Last month, a 75-year-old woman was killed in an elephant attack in Idukki. This led to strong protests by locals and subsequent clashes with the police. The deceased was identified as Indira Ramakrishnan who resided with her husband in Kanjiraveli in Adimali panchayat on the Ernakulam-Idukki border.
The incident took place around 9am when Indira was carrying water for her husband who was working in their farmland. The couple were engaged in harvesting arrowroot. The wild elephant, reported to have come out of the forest, attacked Indira out of nowhere and she sustained serious injuries. Though she was rushed to a nearby taluk hospital, she succumbed to the injuries. The death of the elderly woman was the fifth fatality in wild animal attacks in the region this year. It propelled street protests by angry locals led by Congress MP Dean Kuriakose and Congress MLA Mathew Kuzhalnadan. The protesters marched on the streets of Kothamangalam town with the mortal remains of Indira demanding the intervention of the ministers of the state government in finding a quick solution to the conflict.