Farmer trampled to death by wild elephant in Thalavadi hills

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A 60-year-old farmer was trampled to death by a wild elephant near Thalavadi in the district late on Thursday (June 4, 2026) night, triggering concern among residents of hill villages in the region.

The deceased, identified as Kaalan, belonged to Ramaranai, a remote hamlet under the Thalamalai Forest Range of the Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve (STR). His house and cattle sheds are located close to a forest area.

According to Forest Department sources, Kaalan had fed his cattle and returned home on Thursday night. Around midnight, he heard cattle bellowing from the sheds and went out to check. On reaching the spot, he reportedly found a lone elephant near the cattle shed. When he attempted to flee, the elephant attacked and trampled him. He died on the spot.

Villagers who heard his cries rushed to the area and saw the elephant moving towards the forest. They later discovered Kaalan’s body and alerted the police and forest officials.

Personnel from the Hasanur police station and the Forest Department visited the spot and conducted inquiries. The body was sent to the Government Hospital in Sathyamangalam for post-mortem examination.

Local residents said elephants have been frequently venturing into villages in search of food and water as dry conditions persist in forest areas. Incidents of elephants entering human habitations and crossing roads have increased in recent weeks.

The latest fatality comes a day after a construction worker was killed in an elephant attack in the Kadambur Hills on Wednesday (June 3) night. The back-to-back deaths have heightened anxiety among residents of hill villages, who have urged the Forest Department to take effective measures to prevent wild animals from straying out of forests into human habitations.