Wild elephant tramples 65-year-old man to death

ERODE: An elephant attack has claimed the life of a 65-year-old man near Gobichettipalayam in Erode district on Wednesday. The incident took place when he went into the reserve forest to collect wooden logs for cooking.
The deceased has been identified as V Kunjan, 65, of Indira Nagar in Gobichettipalayam taluk. He was a tribal and a farm labourer. He had entered the reserve forest near T N Palayam, which falls under the Kadambur forest range, early Wednesday morning.When he failed to return home, the locals searched for him and found his body inside the forest.
"He had bleeding injuries on his body," said K Palanisamy, night watchman of the forest compost yard inside the forest. He immediately alerted forest officials in Kadambur forest range based on which they rushed to the spot and recovered the body. They sent it to Gobichettipalayam government hospital for post-mortem.
The forest officials issued a solatium of Rs.25,000 as immediate relief to the victim's family. A case was registered by forest officials and further investigations are underway.
Meanwhile, forest officials from Thalawadi forest range are treating an Indian gaur that fell ill. According to forest officials, the gaur has refused to take any food or water since Wednesday morning. tnn"We found the gaur near Kalmandipuram, outside the reserve forest area in Thalawadi forest range," said forest officials. It was very weak and stuggling to walk.