Kerala: 22-year old youth trampled to death by wild elephant in Palakkad

IANS April 7, 2025 302 views

A devastating wild elephant attack in Kerala's Palakkad district has resulted in the death of 22-year-old Alan, who was trampled while riding a two-wheeler with his mother. The incident has triggered widespread anger among local residents and political leaders, who are criticizing the forest department's inability to manage dangerous wildlife encounters. Multiple political parties, including CPI(M) and BJP, have announced protests and called for immediate action to prevent similar tragedies. The forest minister has committed to providing compensation to Alan's grieving family, highlighting the ongoing challenges of human-wildlife conflict in the region.

"I have raised the issue of wild animal attacks several times in the Kerala Assembly" - A. Prabhakaran, MLA
Thiruvananthapuram, April 7: In a tragic incident, a 22-year-old man was trampled to death by a wild elephant in Kerela's Mundur, Palakkad.

Key Points

1

Wild elephant attack claims young man's life near Mundur

2

Local residents demand improved wildlife management

3

Political parties protest forest department's ineffective response

4

Compensation promised to victim's family

Alan, a native of Kairamkode, was riding a two-wheeler with his mother when they were attacked on Sunday night by an elephant just 50 metres from their home. The duo was returning from a relative's house in Puthupariyaram when the incident occurred around 8 p.m.

Alan succumbed to his injuries while being taken to the hospital. His mother, who sustained injuries in the attack, was initially admitted to the District Hospital and later shifted to the Thrissur Medical College Hospital for further treatment.

Alan's body has been moved to the mortuary. The incident has triggered widespread concern and anger among residents, who say wild elephant sightings and attacks have become increasingly frequent in the region.

Malampuzha MLA A. Prabhakaran, speaking to the media, described the incident as deeply unfortunate. "I have raised the issue of wild animal attacks several times in the Kerala Assembly. Despite measures such as solar fencing, nothing seems to be working. The DFO has informed me that they are yet to trace the elephant responsible for the attack, which is a serious concern," he said.

In protest, the CPI(M) has called for a hartal in Mundur until noon on Monday.

Local farmer P.R. Mukundan expressed his frustration, stating that the forest department had failed to act even after residents reported sightings of the elephant in the area. "The department did not take timely action to drive the elephant back into the forest," he said.

Echoing similar concerns, CPI(M) Palakkad district committee member A.K. Gokuladas criticised the state forest department for failing to ensure public safety.

In response to the incident, the BJP's Palakkad district committee has announced a protest march to the office of the District Forest Officer (DFO) at 10 AM on Monday.

Kerala Forest Minister A.K. Saseendran assured that the forest department would provide compensation to Alan's family.

Reader Comments

R
Rahul K.
This is absolutely heartbreaking 💔 My deepest condolences to Alan's family. The government needs to take stronger measures to prevent these human-wildlife conflicts. Solar fencing clearly isn't enough when lives are at stake.
S
Sneha P.
I live in Palakkad and this isn't the first incident this year. Just last month another farmer was injured. Why isn't the forest department more proactive? They wait until tragedy strikes before acting.
M
Manoj T.
While this is tragic, we must remember elephants are just trying to survive too. Habitat loss is forcing them into human areas. Compensation is good but long-term solutions are needed - maybe wildlife corridors?
A
Anjali R.
That poor mother...to witness her son's death like that. I hope she gets all the medical and psychological support she needs. The trauma must be unimaginable.
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Vikram S.
Respectful criticism: While protests are understandable, hartals hurt common people more than the system. There must be better ways to demand accountability without disrupting daily life.
P
Priya M.
The forest department needs rapid response teams with proper equipment to handle such situations. 50m from home isn't safe anymore? This is terrifying for residents 😢

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

Tags:
Kerala Wildlife Incident Elephant Attack Palakkad Alan Tragic Death Forest Department Wild Animal Conflict
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