Elephant kills elderly woman, group of four jumbos raids shops at Valparai

K Pappammal, wife of Krishnan from Kuppepalayam village was attacked by a wild tusker that strayed out of the reserve around 6.15 am. She had come out of the house to attend nature’s call when the incident happened.

TAnother woman B Raniammal, 65, survived a separate attack by the same tusker with minor injuries. She was discharged after treatment at Coimbatore Medical College and Hospital (CMCH), while the body of the deceased had been taken to CMCH for a post mortem.

Earlier, the villagers refused to allow the Forest Department to take her body demanding a permanent solution to the man-animal conflict in their neighbourhood. The villagers urged the department to provide better lighting and build public toilets nearby their locality to avoid conflicts. They claimed that the existing public toilets were near the forest area.

In a similar incident, a herd of four elephants ventured into Mudis Bazaar in Valparai early on Sunday and raided a few grocery shops to devour rice, pulses and other eatables.

A few shopkeepers noticed the elephants and informed the officials of the Manampalli Forest Range. They then rushed to the spot and drove away the animals into the forest cover. The four elephants were part of a 15-member herd that has been camping in Kejamudi and Thonimudi estate areas in Valparai over the last few days.

Meanwhile, the Forest Department found a carcass of a still born elephant in a completely decomposed state in a forest area at Madukkarai range in Coimbatore on Saturday evening. Officials found scattered parts of the carcass, which they believe to be a still born calf and was fed by wild boar.