Animal-human conflict: Farmer trampled in Krishnagiri; jumbo found dead in trench in Coimbatore

COIMBATORE: A 50-year-old farmer was trampled to death by a wild elephant in Krishnagiri on Tuesday night.

The deceased, Venugopal from Naralapalli village near ‘Maharajakadai’, had gone to guard his paddy farm on Tuesday night. As he did not return home for long on Wednesday, the family members went in search and found him dead in an attack by a wild elephant.

Upon receiving the information, the Krishnagiri forest department and Maharajakadai police rushed to the spot. However, the relatives of the deceased and other villagers broke into a quarrel, alleging inaction by the forest department and attempted to block the road in protest. Later, they left the spot following talks by senior police officials. Following this, the body of the deceased has been sent for a post-mortem at Krishnagiri Government Hospital.

In another wildlife-related incident, a tusker was found dead in an elephant-proof trench in Mettupalayam near Coimbatore on Tuesday night.

Around 11.30 pm, a team of frontline staff on routine patrol spotted the elephant lying dead in the trench adjoining a farm owned by Thirumalairaj abutting the Odanthurai forest area.

Senior officials led by D Venkatesh, Chief Conservator of Forests and Field Director of ATR, District Forest Officer N Jayaraj and veterinarians visited the spot and examined the carcass.

The autopsy revealed that the elephant died of electrocution after it came into contact with the illegal electric fence put up around the farm. In the solar fence, the farm owner, Thirumalairaj, had scrupulously allowed direct power supply to protect his farm from wild animals. After suffering a shock, the elephant collapsed into the trench. A case has been registered against Thirumalairaj, and further inquiries are under way.