A 64-year-old man was trampled to death by a herd of
wild elephants inside the Denkanikottai Reserve Forests in Krishnagiri
district on Monday.
According to forest officials, P.
Periya Lakshmiah (64) was trampled to death by a herd of wild elephants
when he was about to return with the cattle he had taken for grazing
inside the Reserve Forests in Lakkasandiram village on Sunday evening.
When
he did not return home, people launched a manhunt immediately. His body
was found inside the Reserve Forests on Monday morning by villagers.
Immediately, the forest and police officials were informed.
The forest officials recovered the body and sent it to the Government Taluk Hospital in Hosur for post-mortem.
A. K. Ulaganathan, District Forest Officer told
The-Hindu
on Tuesday that in spite of warnings issued to the public not to allow
aged people to take cattle for grazing inside the Reserve Forest, as
over hundred animals have been wandering there for the past three
months, the menace continues, making it the main cause for human deaths.
Few
days ago, a man was trampled to death by a group of elephants. Due to
this, a strong anti-depredation team, formed by the Forest Department,
is touring the villages in the vicinity of the Reserve Forests, advising
the people not to enter into the Reserve Forests for cattle-grazing,
through public address systems.
In the mean time, a
cheque of Rs. 25,000 was handed over to the next to the kin of the
deceased, L. Thimmakka, daughter of Lakshmiah.
The
balance amount of compensation would be distributed to the victim’s
daughter after getting the approval of the Chief Minister.
Meanwhile,
a group of 45 wild elephants came out of the forests in Royakottai
Reserve Forests and were herded into the Sanamavu Reserve Forests on
Monday by the forest officials, with the help of the local villagers and
policemen.
The herd would be herded into the Udedurgam Reserve Forest on Tuesday night, Mr. Ulaganathan adds.
