In a heart-wrenching incident, a tea plantation worker named Parimala, aged 44 and hailing from Panniyar in Santhanpara, was tragically killed during an attack by a wild elephant herd in the serene region of Munnar. The unfortunate incident took place on Monday morning, leaving the entire community in shock and grief.

The Forest department officials reported that the distressing event occurred around 7.45 a.m. Parimala, along with another worker named Palaniyamma, was en route to the plantation when they unintentionally found themselves in the path of the herd. Tragically, the elephants attacked Parimala, causing severe injuries. She was promptly rushed to a private hospital in Rajakumari and later transferred to Theni Medical College in Tamil Nadu. Despite the best efforts of medical professionals, her life could not be saved, leaving her family devastated.

Following a post-mortem examination, Parimala’s body was handed over to her grieving relatives. She leaves behind her son, Manikandaprakash, and daughter, Bharathi Monisha, who are now grappling with the immense loss of their beloved mother.

P.V. Vegi, the Devikulam Range Officer, provided insights into the incident, stating, “A herd of six elephants had been reported roaming in the Panniyar estate.” He further added, “The Forest department has already extended financial assistance of ₹50,000 to the family, and the remaining ₹9.5 lakh will be disbursed to them shortly.”

This tragic event is not the first of its kind in the area. On January 25, 2023, Sakthivel, a member of an elephant monitoring team under the Devikulam forest range, also lost his life in a similar attack by a wild elephant herd at Panniyar. The recurrence of such incidents highlights the urgent need for effective mitigation strategies.

Forest department officials have noted that since the translocation of Arikompan from Chinnakkanal last April, the occurrence of major wild elephant attacks in Santhanpara and Chinnakkanal has significantly reduced. This positive development is a testament to the importance of wildlife conservation efforts and the successful management of human-elephant conflict.