Wild elephant herd in Chinnakkanal causing panic among residents

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People attending the funeral of a 36-year-old woman who was killed in a wild elephant attack at Chinnakkanal on Monday. | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

A herd of 17 wild elephants roaming Chinnakkanal, under the Devikulam range in Munnar, continues to worry both residents and forest officials.

The latest victim was a 36-year-old woman who lost her life, while her son narrowly escaped with injuries. The 17 wild elephants are confined to a small habitat near the Anayirankal dam catchment area and the human settlement of 301 Colony. Residents noted that wild animal encounters are a chronic issue in Chinnakkanal.

A native of Singukandam said that people are living in constant fear of elephant attacks. “We don’t know when the elephants might attack. When the government translocated wild jumbo ‘Arikomban’, the number of attacks briefly reduced. But now, the frequency of such incidents has spiked again. The overpopulation of elephants in this limited area is the core issue,” he said.

Meanwhile, Forest department officials expressed their helplessness. A senior official emphasised that both human and animal lives are important. “The limited habitat is the major crisis in Chinnakkanal. The reality is that there is simply no space left to drive the elephants from one area to another,” the official stated.

The body of Mari, the 36-year-old Singukandam Anganawadi resident killed in Monday’s wild elephant attack, was cremated on Tuesday evening at the Suryanelli crematorium. Mari was attacked while walking her children, Rekshan (11) and Reskhitha (14), to school.. The boy remains under treatment at the Kottayam Medical College.

Mari’s daughter, Rekshitha, lit the funeral pyre at the crematorium. Udumbanchola MLA Senapathi Venu and Devikulam MLA, A. Raja were among those who attended the funeral.

Devikulam Range Officer Arun Kumar stated that the Forest department has established a temporary Rapid Response Team (RRT) unit at 301 Colony following the incident. “A female elephant and