Wayanad man dies in jumbo attack; residents exasperated; curfew in few areas

Wayanad: In a devastating incident, Aji, a Padamala native succumbed to injuries from the wild jumbo attack that happened early Saturday morning. 

According to reports, a radio-collared jumbo from Karnataka ventured into a house premises and attacked him. 

The elephant first strayed into human settlements in the Mananthavady region. Forest officials chased away the jumbo. But, later, the animal attacked Aji in Padamala region. 

The news of his death has stirred tension among residents.

Aji, who was out for work, spotted the violent elephant and rushed into the compound of a nearby house. However, the elephant chased him all the way and killed him.

The radio-collared elephant was tuskless. The jumbo was caught by forest officials in Karnataka and was later on released into the forests after attaching the radio collar. However, the animal had ventured into the Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary and later on moved to the South Wayanad forest division.

Aji’s body is currently kept at the Mananthavady Medical College. Meanwhile, locals are protesting citing lapses on the side of forest officials.

It is said that the radio collar information received in the morning clearly indicated that the jumbo had ventured into residential areas. The forest officials were partially successful in driving away the elephant to the Challigadha area.  Chaligadha is a region that shares borders with North-South forest divisions. 

The victim had tried to save himself after spotting the elephant by jumping over the compound wall of a house in the vicinity. But as per the CCTV visuals coming out, the elephant broke open the gate and killed Aji.

CCF had informed yesterday that yet another elephant which was released in the Bandipur forest area along with deceased Thaneer Komban had ventured into Wayanad. After receiving the information, officials from Kerala sent a letter to Karnataka demanding the antenna and receiver of the elephant’s radio collar. However, Karnataka officials only provided a user ID and password to track the jumbo via the internet. However, the signals received were often delayed.

Public anger is brewing over the tragic death of Aji. Protestors have gathered outside Mananthavady Hospital where Aji’s body is kept. They are awaiting the arrival of the district collector and the DFO.

A curfew has been declared in Kurukkanmoola, Kuruva, Kadankolli, and Payyampally divisions under the Mananthavady municipality with the onset of the events. The elephant is reportedly still roaming around in the region.

Kerala Forest Minister AK Saseendran directed the Wayanad district collector and police chief to discuss with the local body representatives and to take necessary action to tranquilise the tusker.

Earlier, the rogue tusker Thanneer Komban another elephant with a radio collar was seen at Mananthavadi of Wayanad last week. After much effort, the tusker was tranquilised and captured but later on, it died.