Social activist killed in Valparai elephant attack

COIMBATORE: A social activist died and two others injured in a wild elephant attack in Valparai on Wednesday night.

According to sources, Ravi (56), secretary of Forest Rights Committee, an NGO along with five others was returning home to Nedungundru village, when an elephant charged on them around 8 pm.

Every year, the 40-odd families of Kadar tribes used to gather honey from forest areas around this time and sell them in different areas.

“As usual, Ravi and five others had gone to sell the honey collected from forest areas in Valparai town. They then returned by bus and got down at Villoni Estate stop,” said a forest department staff.

While walking home, a wild elephant emerged from the dark and began to chase them. Panicked at the sight of the elephant, the six persons took to their heels. The elephant, however, managed to catch Ravi by its trunk and flung him to the ground, before trampling to death.

Two others identified as Vijayan and Ramachandran suffered injuries in their attempt to flee away. On receiving information, a forest department team led by Valparai Forest Ranger D Venkatesh rushed to the spot and chased away the wild elephant into the forest area.

The body of the deceased was then sent for a post mortem at Valparai Government Hospital and later handed over to family members. The two injured persons are undergoing treatment in GH.

Villagers hailed Ravi for being instrumental in getting road facility for their neighbourhood by raising the issue with the authorities. He also persuaded the tribal families to send their children to school and pursue higher education.

Ravi is survived by his wife Selvi and two children. Senior officials of the forest department paid tributes to the social activist, while Coimbatore District Collector Kranthi Kumar Pati and Pollachi Sub Collector A Catherine Saranya expressed their condolences.