Two kumkis deployed to keep elephant herd away in Gudalur

COIMBATORE: A day after an estate worker was trampled to death by a wild elephant; two kumkis were deployed by the Forest department at O-Valley in Gudalur on Sunday.

The kumkis were brought from Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (MTR), following intensified protests by villagers for the second consecutive day with the body of the elephant attack victim.

M Nowzath Ali (38), a security guard died on the spot and another person Jamaal (28) was injured, after an elephant attacked them, while they were walking through a coffee estate at Indira Nagar in Seaforth Estate on Saturday. Jamaal has been undergoing treatment in Gudalur Government Hospital.

Villagers, relatives and family members resorted to a protest all through Saturday night at Indira Nagar demanding the Forest department to capture the wild elephant. Their protests continued for the second consecutive day on Sunday and they refused to let the Forest department take the body for a post-mortem.

The villagers however withdrew the protest on Sunday evening after the Forest department assured to meet some of their demands, including providing employment to one of the family members of the deceased.

Also, immediate efforts were taken to chase away the wild elephant by deploying two kumkis, which were brought in a truck from MTR. Officials, however said that it would be difficult to identify the specific elephant which attacked the duo as it was part of a herd that passed through the way.