Tribal Man Killed by Wild Elephant While Gathering Forest Products in Kerala
मुख्य बातें
- •Pushpakaran Vellakkayyan, a 45-year-old tribal man from Ponginchuvadu settlement in Edamalayar, was killed by a wild elephant on May 24, 2026.
- •The incident occurred while he was collecting non-timber forest products with a four-member group near Kothamangalam in Kerala.
- •The elephant, reportedly a tusker, charged at the group, killing Pushpakaran and injuring none of the others.
- •The deceased is survived by his wife and two children; police have registered a case and launched an investigation.
A 45-year-old tribal man, Pushpakaran Vellakkayyan, was allegedly trampled to death by a wild elephant while collecting non-timber forest products in the Edamalayar forest range near Kothamangalam in Kerala on Sunday evening, May 24, 2026. According to local reports, Pushpakaran, a resident of the Ponginchuvadu tribal settlement in Edamalayar, was part of a four-member group that had ventured into the forest. The incident occurred around sunset, a time when visibility is low and wild animals are known to be active.
Pushpakaran was reportedly attacked by a tusker when he went to collect minor forest produce. The elephant, known to be aggressive, allegedly charged at the group, resulting in Pushpakaran being fatally trampled. The other three members of the group managed to escape unharmed. Emergency services were immediately alerted, and a team from the Kuruppampady police station reached the spot after receiving information about the incident.
