Forty-two days into the new year, wild elephant attacks under the Munnar forest division have already claimed three lives. However, the families of the victims are yet to receive full compensation.
On January 8, Parimalam, 48, a woman plantation worker, was killed in a wild elephant attack in Panniyar, near Santhanpara. On January 22, K. Palraj, 79, of Coimbatore, was trampled to death by a single tusk wild elephant near a wedding reception venue at Thenmala, near Gundumala, in Munnar. On January 26, Soundarajan, 68, a farmer, who was attacked by a wild elephant, died at Theni Hospital while undergoing treatment. After the incidents, the Forest department provided ₹50,000 as primary compensation. But the families are yet to receive ₹9,50,000 out of the ₹10 lakh fixed as total compensation.
Mohanan, the husband of Parimalam, said his wife was killed by a wild elephant when she was on her way to work. “My family stays in a Layam estate (cluster house) at Panniyar. My wife’s job was a major source of our family income. We had submitted documents before the Forest department but are yet to receive the full compensation amount,” said Mr. Mohanan.
