A man in India's southern state of Kerala escaped unhurt after a wild boar crashed into an ATM he was withdrawing money at, breaking the glass door.
Gopalan, identified only by his first name, was taking money from a State Bank of India ATM in Erumeli village when the animal came running towards the booth. It broke through the front glass door and charged inside, prompting the man to escape.
Surveillance footage from inside the ATM showed the boar exiting the booth after a few seconds. The man later sought medical attention for injuries to his leg caused by the glass shards, Mathrubhumi reported.
Kerala’s state government and farmers have been reportedly struggling to tackle a rising wild boar population that is attacking livestock and damaging crops.
Kerala asked the federal government in February to declare wild boars as “vermin” and amend the wildlife protection laws that restrict their hunting.
The state had culled over 4,110 wild boars between May 2020 and December 2023 to prevent them from destroying crops and attacking humans, the forest department said in May this year.
Last month, farmer groups said they were struggling with the boar menace due to a lack of experienced shooters and adequate funds.
Kerala Independent Farmers Association chair Alex Ozhukayil told the New Indian Express that wild boar attacks have become frequent, resulting in the death of at least two people. "The state should take steps to declare wild boar a vermin so that farmers can take the call,” Mr Alex said.
The government has also been urged to adopt more efficient methods such as using trap cages to capture and eliminate the wild boars.
