Malappuram (Kerala), Apr 28 (PTI) A man who sustained severe injuries in a suspected wild elephant attack on Tuesday died while undergoing treatment at a private hospital in this north Kerala district, officials said.
The deceased was identified as Jamsheer, a rubber-tapping labourer from Karuvarakund.
According to local residents, he was found seriously injured in a forest-fringe area on Tuesday morning and was rushed to a private hospital in Perinthalmanna, where he later succumbed to his injuries.
Forest officials said the exact cause of death would be confirmed only after the post-mortem examination.
A senior forest official said there were some issues of clarity in this incident. The deceased was not tapping rubber in the area where he was found injured.
“Two others were reportedly with Jamsheer in the morning and efforts are on to trace them. We are not ruling out the possibility of an elephant attack,” he told reporters.
A team of forest personnel went to the area where the man was found injured to gather further details, the officer added.
Locals said frequent movement of wild animals, especially elephants, into plantations close to human habitations has been posing a serious threat to lives and property in the Karuvarakund region.
They also alleged that adequate safety measures have not been put in place by the forest department despite repeated incidents of wildlife intrusion. PTI LGK KH
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