65-year-old plantation worker killed in elephant attack in Kerala’s Wayanad

A plantation worker was killed in a wild elephant attack at Kattikulam, near Mananthavady in Kerala’s Wayanad district on Wednesday. The incident adds to a troubling series of intensifying human-wildlife conflict in the region.

The victim, identified as Raju, a resident of the Pulimoodkunnu Michabhoomi area in Kattikulam, was seriously injured when the elephant attacked him around 10 am on Wednesday. The elephant violently kicked and dragged him, breaking his ribs and causing severe internal injuries. He was rushed to the Mananthavady Medical College Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries while being transferred to the Kozhikode Medical College Hospital for advanced treatment.

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The recurring tusker attacks fueled intense anger among local communities. Following Raju’s death, widespread protests erupted around the Mananthavady Medical College Hospital mortuary. Residents and local political leaders strongly condemned the forest department’s perceived inaction regarding permanent safety solutions, such as functional solar fencing, faster rapid response teams, and better border tracking systems.

This is the second death from a wild elephant attack in Wayanad within two weeks .. On May 26, a woman named Jessy was killed on the spot and her husband was injured when a wild elephant attacked their scooter at Kalladi, near Meppadi in Wayanad.