A 54-year-old Forest department official was injured after a wild elephant attacked him at the Thekkady boat landing inside the Periyar Tiger Reserve (PTR) in Idukki on Tuesday morning.
Roby Varghese, a resident of Kattappana and a senior clerk in the Thekkady forest division office, sustained severe injuries in the attack. The incident occurred around 6.30 a.m. when Mr. Varghese was engaged in morning walk near the Aranya Nivas hotel.
“A herd of elephants, including a calf, was camping near the boat landing and he did not notice their presence. The elephant trampled upon him after he fell into a trench while trying to escape,” said a Forest department official.
He was rushed to a private hospital at Kattappana and later shifted to another in Kottayam. He is reportedly out of danger.
PTR Assistant Field Director P.J. Suhaib said the Forest department banned morning walks inside the PTR. “Earlier visitors were allowed to the Thekkady boat landing from 6 a.m. In the wake of the wild elephant attack, it has been rescheduled from 7.30 a.m. to 4 p.m.,” said the official.
According to Forest department officials, the herd has been camping near the Thekkady boat landing for the past two days.
