Wild elephants trample farmer to death in Chittoor district
The Hindu
Residents of hamlets near T.N. border in grip of fear
Panic gripped the hamlets close to the Chittoor-Tamil Nadu border after a nine-member herd of wild elephants fatally attacked a 52-year-old farmer at Tanjavur village of Yadamarri mandal in the district, 25 km from here, on Thursday morning. According to local residents, the victim, Valligan (52), a speech and hearing impaired farmer, was relieving himself at a pond near his fields around 6 a.m., after finishing his night vigil, when the attack took place. The farmers in the neighbouring fields, who were also getting ready to return home, spotted the nine-member herd of wild elephants marching towards the forests of Paradarami (T.N.), after emerging from the pond. In a few seconds, the herd starting running towards Valligan, whose back was facing them. The farmers shouted to warn him but in vain. The Divisional Forest Officer (Chittoor West), who enquired with the eye-witnesses, said that a male tusker leading the herd lifted Valligan into the air and flung him to a distance of 20 feet. The jumbos trailing their leader trampled him to death, while the panicked villagers ran helter skelter.More Related News