Kerala: Man trampled to death by elephant, locals protest
What's the story
A wild elephant killed a 45-year-old man in Knachary, Kuttampuzha, Ernakulam district of Kerala on Monday night. The incident took place around 9:00pm near Kothamangalam, an area adjacent to deep forests and known for its wildlife presence. The deceased, identified as Eldhose Kodiyatt, was returning home from a bus stop when the attack happened.
Public outcry
Locals protest, demand action against rising wildlife attacks
The incident has led to protests by locals who are demanding solutions to the rising human-animal conflict. They had refused to release Kodiyatt's body for autopsy until their concerns were addressed. District Collector NSK Umesh assured them of compensation and measures to prevent future incidents. The district administration has given a compensation of ₹10 lakh to Kodiyatt's family.
Preventive steps
Government promises measures to curb wildlife attacks
Meanwhile, Forest Minister AK Saseendran has announced plans to fix streetlights and install solar fences around residential areas near forests. Efforts are also underway to dig trenches and repair broken fences to prevent elephants from entering human settlements. Saseendran described the incident as "extremely unfortunate and heartbreaking," promising government action to protect residents.
Resignation demand
Catholic Congress demands forest minister's resignation
The Catholic Congress has also demanded the forest minister's resignation over repeated man-animal conflicts leading to deaths. They slammed authorities for poor fencing in areas such as Kuttampuzha. Over the past few years, Kerala has witnessed several deaths due to wild elephant attacks: 17 deaths in 2023-24, 27 in 2022-23, and 35 in 2021-22.