Local people stage protest after a woman was trampled to death by a wild elephant at Chinnakkanal, Idukki, on Monday.
| Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
A 36-year-old woman, Mari, was trampled to death by a wild elephant on Monday at Chinnakkanal, under the Devikulam forest range, near Munnar, in Idukki. Her 11-year-old son was injured in the attack that occurred around 8 a.m.According to Forest department officials, Mari, a resident of Singukandam, was walking her son Rekshan and daughter Rekshina to their school bus stop. The children are students of Class VII and Class X, respectively, at the Chinnakkanal Government High School.The department had earlier warned residents about the presence of wild animals on the road, urging parents to exercise caution. Mari had walked roughly 1.5 km with the children when they encountered a female elephant and her two-year-old calf by the roadside. Due to heavy rain and thick mist, the woman did not notice the animals on time. Upon sensing human presence, the elephant attacked. Mari’s daughter, who was walking a few metres behind, narrowly escaped the attack. Hearing the family’s cries, the elephants retreated into a nearby plantation.An autorickshaw driver passing by rushed the family to a nearby hospital, where the woman was pronounced dead. The boy was initially admitted to the Adimaly taluk hospital and later shifted to the Kottayam government medical college. Mari’s body was moved to the Idukki government medical college for post-mortem examination.Daily wage workerLocal residents and Mari’s relatives staged a protest in front of the Chinnakkanal Family Health Centre, demanding a solution to the recurring fatal elephant attacks. They refused to give consent to post-mortem examination and said they would accept the body only after the government comes up with a solution. They demanded relocation of wild elephants from Chinnakkanal and insisted that the government take over the care of the two children. According to local people, Mari’s husband died two years ago and she had been living with her mother and two children. She was a daily wage worker who owned no land.Following the protest, an all-party meeting was convened at the Chinnakkanal panchayat office which was attended by Munnar DFO Saju Varghese, Devikulam Subcollector V.M. Arya, Devikulam MLA A. Raja, and leaders of various political parties. At the meeting, the officials promised to come up with a solution to wildlife incursions at Chinnakkanal. It was then decided to conduct the post-mortem examination on Tuesday.Financial aidForest department officials stated that the initial instalment of financial assistance will be handed over to the family soon. Forest Minister Shibu Baby John said he has directed Forest department officials to submit a plan for the children’s welfare. “We need to ensure that the family receives proper care. Based on the department’s proposal, the government will take further steps,” Mr. John said.Devikulam Range Officer Arun Kumar said the department would strengthen the rapid response team (RRT) at Chinnakkanal and deploy an RRT at 301 Colony to drive wild animals away from residential areas. “The RRT will remain stationed in the area from evening until 10 a.m. the next day. The Munnar DFO has submitted a proposal to the Forest Minister regarding the protection of the children. A forest beat officer in Chinnakkanal, who is also a relative of the family, will oversee the care and education of the children, and the Forest department will monitor the situation,” the official said.“The department will strengthen alerts and the monitoring of elephant movements in Chinnakkanal. There are currently 17 wild elephants in the area, roaming in separate herds,” he added. Published - June 08, 2026 08:41 pm IST
