Wild elephant kills auto driver in Kerala; govt provides Rs 10 lakh aid to victim's family
Idukki (Kerala), Feb 27: A 44 year-old man was killed on Monday night by a stray wild elephant near here, in yet another instance of man-animal conflict in Kerala.
The incident happened in Kannimala estate near the tourist town of Munnar in this hilly district. The victim was identified as Suresh Kumar alias Mani, an auto driver.
The elephant also attacked and toppled the autorickshaw he was driving, but the passengers had a narrow escape, police added.
The state government handed over an immediate financial aid of Rs 10 lakh to the family of the deceased.
Kumar's death comes in the wake of two persons being killed by wild elephants in Wayanad recently, sparking protests by local people.
The deceased Kumar hailed from Kannimala Top Division here, police said.
Some other passengers including a woman and her school-going daughter had a narrow escape when the autorickshaw was attacked and toppled by the elephant, police said.
Kumar was on his way to drop a family comprising Rajeena, a local woman, her husband and daughter at their home after the annual day celebration at the girl's school here.
Two migrant workers were also present in the vehicle at the time of the incident.
A shocked Rajeena later recounted that the elephant, which was standing on the road, attacked the autorickshaw and toppled it.
She said they were trapped beneath the vehicle and the driver was attacked by the animal when he attempted to exit.
"The elephant took him by the trunk and tossed him three times. We were rescued by some persons who were passing by in a jeep. They helped us come out of the toppled vehicle after the elephant moved away," she told the media from a hospital here on Tuesday.
A senior police officer said the critically injured man reportedly died before reaching a nearby hospital.
The other passengers, who suffered minor injuries in the incident, were recovering in hospital, he added.
Meanwhile, the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) called for a dawn-to-dusk hartal in KDH Village, comprising Munnar Town, seeking a permanent solution to the increasing human-animal conflict in the region. However it was withdrawn in the wake of Kumar's family receiving financial aid.
The opposition Congress also announced a roadblock in the region raising the same demand.
Police said shops remained closed and the agitators stopped the vehicles in the region but no untoward incidents have been reported so far.
Meanwhile, authorities held an emergency meeting at a high-range hospital and handed over the financial aid to Kumar's family comprising his wife and two children.
Besides Forest and district officials, the local MLA, MP and senior leaders of various political parties took part in the meeting, sources said.
CPI Idukki district assistant secretary P Palanivel said it was decided that the educational expenses of Kumar's children would be borne by the government. It was also decided to recommend to the government to provide job to one of the family members in the Forest department, he said.
In the wake of wild elephants frequently venturing into the region, a decision was taken to deploy a Rapid Response Team (RRT), he said.
Forest authorities would also provide announcements in the morning every day about the movement of stray elephants if any in the area, he added.
Monday night's incident follows the death of two persons in attacks by wild elephants in Wayanad recently, sparking protests by local people. Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan, Union Environment Minister Bhupendar Yadav and Congress leader and Wayanad MP Rahul Gandhi had met the families of the victims.
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Child rape-murder: Hundreds protest on Mumbai-Bengaluru highway in Pune; traffic hit
Pune (PTI): Hundreds of people blocked the Mumbai-Bengaluru highway in Pune to protest the rape and murder of a four-year-old girl, leading to traffic disruption on the busy route for about four hours.
The girl's family members and other demonstrators placed the body on the road in the Navale Bridge area on Saturday evening and demanded stringent punishment for the 65-year-old man arrested in the case.
Several videos surfaced showing a huge traffic jam on the highway.
Later, the victim's last rites were performed at the Vaikunt crematorium here shortly after midnight amid tight police security.
The accused man, who works as a labourer and has a criminal record, allegedly lured the girl with the promise of food on Friday in the Bhor tehsil of Pune district. He then took her to a cattle enclosure where he allegedly sexually assaulted her and later killed her by hitting her with a stone, according to the police.
He was arrested based on CCTV footage from a private residence, which captured him with the child.
A case was registered against him under the relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and he has been remanded in police custody till May 7.
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar on Saturday met the family of the victim, assuring them of strict action against the accused and a fast-track trial.
Describing the incident as "shocking" and a "blot on humanity", Pawar said the government stands firmly with the victim's family and will ensure justice.
She also spoke to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and sought a fast-track court trial so that the accused receives the harshest punishment.
Deputy CM Eknath Shinde directed Pune rural police to gather concrete evidence to build a watertight case and conduct the trial in a fast-track court.
Efforts should be made to ensure the accused gets the death penalty, a statement quoted Shinde as saying.
