Coimbatore: Two tribal men died in an elephant attack near the Modamathy forest of the Madukkarai range on the outskirts of the city. Their bodies were recovered in decomposed state on Friday. The deceased were identified as N Vellingiri, 40, and P Ayyappan, 50, residents of Aiyampathi tribal hamlet near KG Chavadi. Police suspect that the incident might have happened about 18 days ago as it was when they were last spotted.
“As the duo would often go to town in search of daily wage work and usually stay for 15 to 20 days, the family members did not suspect anything untoward,” police said.
The incident came to light only on Friday afternoon, after a tribal man of Modampathy region found the two men dead while grazing his goats. The place where the duo was found dead is just a kilometre away from the forest region. “As the body of the two men were decomposed, we could not find the nature of the injury. However, forest personnel confirmed that the duo was trampled to death by elephant from the position of the body,” the KG Chavadi police said, adding that they were not sure whether a single elephant or a herd of elephants killed the duo.
“Neither eyewitness nor CCTV footage was available in the locality to ascertain what actually happened. However, an autopsy report would give an idea on the nature of their death,” police added. The bodies of the dead were sent to the Coimbatore Medical College Hospital for an autopsy. The KG Chavadi police have registered. tnn
