Mundoor elephant attack: probe to determine lapses, if any

Forest Minister A.K. Saseendran has announced that an inquiry will be launched to ascertain if there was any lapse on the part of forest officials in the Mundur wild elephant attack in which a youth was killed on Sunday.

Speaking to reporters on Monday, the Minister said strict action would be taken if any lapses are found. “Preventive measures are already in place, but the elephant broke through the solar fencing, and two or three wild elephants entered the residential area,” he said.

The Minister added that a review meeting was held with the District Collector and forest officials to assess the situation and a report is sought from the Collector. Forest officials have already identified the locations where the elephants are currently camping, the Minister said.

More Rapid Response Teams (RRTs) will be deployed in the area, he said adding that the concerns of the public are being taken seriously and will not be ignored. The region where the elephant attack occurred has a history of similar incidents and precautionary measures have been put in place earlier.

“It wouldn’t be fair to say that actions aren’t aligned with public expectations. However, it’s clear that the measures taken to deter wild animals have been ineffective,” he admitted.

Efforts to restore peaceful life in the affected areas are ongoing under the District Collector, the Minister added.

“Although several measures have been adopted to prevent wild animal attacks, it’s evident that there has been little noticeable improvement so far,” he said.

He added that an alternative approach, known as ‘Ele-fencing,’ has been identified to tackle the threat posed by wild animals. This method is currently being tried at two locations in Wayanad, and if found effective, steps will be taken to implement it on a wider scale.

Alan (25), a resident of Kayaramkodu, was killed in a wild elephant attack in Mundur, near here, on Sunday night. His mother, Viji, sustained serious injuries in the incident and is currently receiving treatment at Thrissur Medical College Hospital. The attack occurred around 8 p.m. when the mother and son were walking home. Local people rushed to the scene and took them to the hospital, but Alan succumbed to his injuries.