Elephant kills woman in TN; 4th death in 2 mths: villagers say build trenches to keep out wild animals

Erode (Tamil Nadu): A 45-year-old woman was trampled to death by a rogue elephant in Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve (STR) in the fourth such death within two months, villagers said, and demanded that the forest department build trenches around private lands to protect the people from wild animal attacks.

Sundari of Jora Oosure village near Jeerahalli forest area under STR was returning home on Tuesday evening with her cattle in the forest area when a lone rogue elephant rushed at her, attacking her and trampling her, forest officials said.

She was seriously injured and managed to raise an alarm. On hearing her calls for help, the villagers rushed there, and the elephant ran into the forest.

The woman was first taken to Thalavadi Government Hospital from where she was referred to Chamrajanagar Government Hospital across the state border in Karnataka, where she died.

On hearing of the incident, Thalavadi police registered a case of death due to elephant trampling.

Villagers said this was the fourth death of a person trampled by an elephant in their area within two months. They demanded that forest officials dig trenches around private lands to save them from wild animal attacks.