Elderly woman injured in elephant attack in Wayanad amid rising human-wildlife conflict

An 80-year-old woman was hospitalized with serious injuries including a leg fracture, after being attacked by a wild elephant in a residential area at Mudakolly near Sultan Bathery in Kerala’s Wayanad district.

The incident occurred early on Saturday morning while she was in the courtyard of her house, reportedly returning from an outdoor toilet. The elephant used its trunk to lift and fling her a considerable distance.

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The woman, Thankamma, was immediately taken to a hospital and is currently undergoing treatment at a private facility in Sultan Bathery. She sustained a fractured leg, spinal injuries, and rib damage.

The incident highlights the ongoing human-wildlife conflict in the region, where wild animals are increasingly straying into residential areas and, in this case, attacking a resident at her home.

Forest department officials have been conducting a multi-day operation to capture a troublesome tusker, which recently killed a young farmer and attacked a forest task force.