Latest news with #Arumugan
Time of India
27-04-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Environmentalists oppose ‘unlawful' darting of elephant in Wayanad
Kochi: Environmentalists filed a petition with the state chief wildlife warden (CWW) against the unlawful darting of a wild elephant within the elephant corridor on the eastern flanks of Chembra Peak in Wayanad. The CWW ordered the darting to tranquilise a wild elephant in Meppadi following allegations by locals that the elephant trampled an estate worker to death on Thursday night. The petition, signed under 'For Coexistence Collective, Kerala' and the Ernakulam-based NGO ANEC, was sent to the CWW and other forest department authorities in the state and the Centre. It demanded the withdrawal of the move and the protection of the elephant corridor. As the darting operation amounts to violations of various laws, the petition demanded the assurance of ecological sensitive zone-related incentives to farmers, a ban on sound pollution activities that disturb wildlife at night, and the identification of illegal tourism resorts in the area, among other demands. It warned of legal action against the authorities if they failed to stop these violations and halt the darting operation. The petition noted that uncontrolled tourism activities fragment the forest and lead to man-animal conflicts. It highlighted that more than 1,000 legal and illegal tourism resorts operate in Vythiri and Meppadi, disturbing the wildlife. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Secure Your Child's Future with Strong English Fluency Planet Spark Learn More Undo Meanwhile, the environmentalists noted that the department has not even identified the elephant which allegedly killed the estate worker Arumugan. The petition demanded that the elephant be continuously tracked, observed, monitored, and a database created to ensure that it has a tendency to attack humans before darting and capturing. The petition said that the govt is violating the existing provisions of the Indian wildlife and environment laws. "A Schedule-1 animal can be captured and removed from its ecosystem only if it is an inevitable situation, and a forest official succumbing to the pressures of locals is such a pathetic situation," it read.
New Indian Express
26-04-2025
- New Indian Express
Arumugan fourth wild-jumbo attack victim in Wayanad district in 14 months
KALPETTA: The recurring threat of man-animal conflict in Wayanad has intensified fear among residents of Poolakunnu Tribal Settlement in Erumakolli, after 67-year-old Arumugan Perumal was killed in a near Meppadi. A resident of the tribal settlement, Arumugan became the fourth victim of a wild elephant in the district in the past 14 months. In February, 27-year-old Balakrishnan, son of Karuppan from the Erattukundu Paniya tribe at Attamala in Meppadi panchayat, lost his life in a similar attack. Manu, 45, of the Kappad Kattunayakan tribe in Chettyalathur, Noolpuzha, was also trampled by a wild elephant. Earlier this year, on January 8, 22-year-old Vishnu, a native of Karnataka, was killed by an elephant in the Pathiri Reserve Forest. A widower, Arumugan had been living alone in Meppadi while his two children reside in Tamil Nadu. Hailing from Tirunelveli, he had been working in the Elimbileri Estate for the past 30 years. On Thursday around 9 pm, Arumugan was attacked by an elephant just 200 metres from his home while returning after buying household items. 'We heard elephants nearby but never expected such a tragedy. When Arumugan didn't return, we searched and eventually found his body,' said Krishnan, a local resident. The body was handed over to relatives on Friday after postmortem examination at Sultan Bathery Taluk Hospital. An immediate relief of Rs 5 lakh was provided to the family. Angered by the increasing incidents of attacks, local residents staged a protest on Thursday night. The situation was brought under control after a meeting with South Wayanad Divisional Forest Officer Ajith K Raman. 'Nothing has changed in nine years since my father died in a similar attack,' said Vishnu Prasad, a local resident. 'Elephants continue to roam in tea estates like Elimbileri, Kadur, and Chembra on the forest fringes. Workers live in constant fear. Arumugan was killed while returning home at night.' Vishnu also alleged that despite assurances of Rs 10 lakh in compensation and a government job after his father's death, his family received only Rs 5 lakh. 'I've been following up with the forest department, but there has been no progress,' he said. Following the latest incident, residents renewed demands for capturing the elephant using tranquilliser shots. Authorities have issued an order to tranquilise the elephant, subject to conditions. In the initial phase, efforts will be made to drive the elephants back into the forest using kumki elephants. If that fails, they will be captured with the help of kumki elephants from Muthanga.
