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Chennai, Oct 13 (IANS) In a heart-wrenching incident, a 55-year-old woman and her young granddaughter were crushed to death by a herd of wild elephants that entered a workers’ colony near Valparai in Coimbatore district early on Monday.
The accident occurred around 3.30 am in Water Falls Estate, a tea plantation area known for frequent movement of elephants.
According to forest officials, the herd entered labor quarters in search of food. As the animals went on a rampage in the area, they attacked a house where the victims – identified as Asla (55) and her granddaughter Hemashree – were sleeping. Before the neighbors could raise their voice, both of them were crushed to death. By the time the rescue teams arrived, both of them had died. Their bodies were recovered and sent to Valparai Government Hospital for postmortem.
Forest personnel from Valparai range reached the spot and are investigating the incident.
Authorities are also setting up additional alert systems and patrolling teams to monitor the movement of elephants in the area.
The sudden intrusion of elephants into human habitations has once again raised concerns about the increasing frequency of man-animal conflict in the hilly areas of Tamil Nadu.
Valparai, located in the Anamalai Tiger Reserve buffer zone, has witnessed several similar tragedies over the years. Lush tea and coffee plantations often overlap with elephant corridors, forcing the animals to navigate through human settlements.
Earlier this year, a 42-year-old estate worker near Sholayar was killed when he was attacked by a lone elephant while on his way to work.
In another case, last December, a farmer was crushed to death near Cinchona village after he accidentally encountered an elephant at dawn.
Wildlife experts attribute the frequent attacks to habitat fragmentation and reduced availability of food in the forests.
Encroachment, shrinking forest cover and electric fencing have disrupted elephants’ natural routes, causing them to frequently move towards populated areas in search of food and water.
Authorities are experimenting with early-warning systems including thermal sensors and elephant trackers, but unpredictable migration patterns are creating challenges.
The latest deaths in Valparai have sparked outrage among local residents, who have demanded stronger preventive measures, including shifting of workers’ quarters away from known elephant routes and night-time patrolling to prevent further loss of life and property.
–IANS
AAL/DPB