COIMBATORE: A tragic incident occurred in the Periyanaickenpalayam forest range near Coimbatore on Tuesday evening, where a 67-year-old tribal man was trampled to death by a wild elephant. The victim, identified as K Rangan, belonged to the Irula community and was a resident of the Kopanari tribal settlement.
According to forest officers, the incident took place around 5:30 PM in the Kopanari East beat of the Periyanaickenpalayam range. Rangan had ventured into the forest with his wife, Rangi, to graze their cattle. Suddenly, a wild elephant emerged from the thickets and attacked him without warning. While his wife managed to escape and alert the villagers, Rangan was fatally gored and trampled by the animal.
Upon receiving the information, forest department personnel rushed to the spot and conducted a preliminary inspection. It was determined that Rangan was caught off guard while tending to his livestock inside the reserve forest area. The police were immediately informed, and with their assistance, the forest officials recovered the body. The remains were sent to the Mettupalayam Government Hospital for a postmortem examination.
In response to the incident, the forest department issued a temporary advisory to residents of Kopanari and nearby settlements. They have been urged to avoid entering deep forest areas for grazing or collecting minor forest produce until the movement of the elephant is closely monitored. Patrolling has been intensified in the region to prevent any further such incidents.
Authorities are also coordinating with local communities to ensure safety measures are followed. The tragic event highlights the ongoing conflict between humans and wildlife in the region, as elephants often venture into human settlements in search of food.
