Porcupine quills pierce biker’s leg; Palakkad resident hospitalised after night attack

Ayiloor (Palakkad): A man suffered severe injuries after being struck by a porcupine while returning home from work on his bike. The injured has been identified as 39-year-old Jinub Mathew from Ayiloor. The animal’s sharp quills pierced his left leg, foot, and fingers, following which he was admitted to a private hospital in Nemmara for treatment.

The incident occurred on Wednesday night. Jinub, who owns Oottupura Hotel in Nemmara, was on his way home when he noticed a porcupine on the road near Nemmara. He stopped his motorbike after spotting the animal, but the porcupine charged towards him and attacked.

The impact caused him to fall off the bike, and several quills lodged in his foot. He was taken to a private hospital in Nemmara, where the quills were carefully removed. A complaint regarding the incident has been filed with the forest department.

Residents say travelling along the Nemmara–Olippara route at night often remains risky, as wild animals frequently wander out of the nearby forested areas.