Village residents protest after farmer trampled to death by wild elephant in Erode’s Talavadi

Farmer trampled to death by wild elephant in Erode, villagers demand compensation & stronger protection.

A 36-year-old farmer who was guarding his ragi crop was trampled to death by a wild elephant in his farmland in Talavadi, Erode district, early on Saturday, December 30, 2023. Demanding adequate compensation, village residents refused to allow his body to be taken to the hospital.

The victim, Raman, of Mudiyanur, along with three other farmers found tan elephant destroying their crops, and attempted to chase the tusker away. But the elephant attacked Raman, and he died on the spot. When the farmers raised an alarm, the elephant went into the forest. As news spread of the incident, farmers and people from many villages gathered at the spot. They said the Forest Department officials were not responding to their phone calls during emergencies and wanted the existing elephant-proof trenches to be strengthened, besides digging new trenches to prevent elephants venturing out of the forest.

Talavadi Forest Range officials and Hasanur police arrived at the spot. However, the residents staged a protest. 

S. Kannaiyan, president of the Talavadi Farmers Association said a human-wildlife conflict management (HWC) system had to be laid down in the standard operating procedure (SoP) of the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA). He wanted a compensation of ₹15 lakh to be given to the victim’s family as is being done in Karnataka. Currently, ₹5 lakh is given as compensation.

Kumara Ravikumar of Namathu Nilam Namathe Vivasayigal Nala Sangam, who spearheaded the protest, wanted a compensation of ₹25 lakh as given in Maharashtra and also a government job to the victim’s wife. He said the elephant had entered the farm at 11 p.m. on Friday and village residents chased it away. “But the elephant entered the farmland again at 4 a.m. and killed the farmer. The Forest Range Officer of Talavadi, the forester and the guard all did not attend our phone calls. A case should be registered against the three,” he said.

The victim is survived by wife and two girl children.