Makna elephant kills construction worker

Coimbatore: A construction worker died of alleged elephant attack at Kanuvai on the outskirts of the city on Monday morning. However, the forest department said the cause of the death could be ascertained only after the postmortem.
The deceased was identified as V Nagaraj, 55, from Seeranaickenpalayam. He had separated from his family and was staying outside a temple at Kanuvai. On Sunday night, frontline staff members of the forest department advised Nagaraj not to sleep in the area as there was movement of a makna (tuskless male) elephant. However, Nagaraj slept outside the temple when the elephant stamped on him and left the place.
When the temple priest came to open the temple around 4.30am, Nagaraj informed him that he was attacked by a wild elephant.
Meanwhile, Coimbatore forest range officer Siva visited the temple premises on early Monday morning. “There were no injuries on Nagaraj’s body,” Siva said.
Nagaraj was admitted at the Coimbatore Medical College and Hospital (CMCH) where he died without responding to treatment.
The forest department said postmortem will be conducted on Tuesday. The cause of the death will be known only after the postmortem, a forest department official said.