COIMBATORE: A rampaging wild tusker that strayed out of the forest cover trampled a forest department staff to death at Kannammanaickanur in Coimbatore on Monday.
The tusker had fatally attacked Muthusamy, 53, a forest guard involved in the chasing operation at an unexpected moment around noon. The elephant had strayed out of the forest and strayed into Kannammanaickanur, a village that is several Km away from the forest boundary.
“The pachyderm had attacked Chinnadurai, a farmer while he was involved in farm work in the early morning hours. He was immediately rushed to a hospital,” police said.
On receiving information, a team of forest department staff including Muthusamy had rushed to the spot to carry out chasing operations.
“Crackers were fired to drive away the elephant into the forest cover. A little later, the pachyderm had gone wild and began to chase the forest department staff. While running for safety, Muthusamy lost balance and fell amidst bushes. He was then trampled to d” said a forest department staff.
His body has been sent for post-mortem at the Coimbatore medical college and hospital (CMCH). Two kumki elephants Pari, 36 and Sujay, 44, from Chaivayal camp were shifted to Madukkarai, a few days ago, to drive away the lone elephant that has been visiting the neighbourhood. The tusker, which remained in the forests for the last few days, had begun to stray out again triggering panic among the public.
The pachyderm had camped in the same spot and is refusing to retreat despite efforts taken by the forest department to drive it into the forest cover.
