A wild elephant, locally called Padayappa, damaged a vehicle parked at Kannimala top in Kanan Devan Hills Plantations, Munnar, on Saturday night.
According to local people, Padayappa destroyed the front portion and lights of the Jeep, which was parked near the Layams (cluster homes) at Kannimala top, at around 11.45 p.m. The vehicle belongs to Renjith, a Kannimala resident, who was about to start the jeep when he noticed the elephant. When Renjith and others made noice, Padayappa fled from the spot.
Local people then alerted the Forest department’s Rapid Response Team (RRT) about the incident, who reached the area and chased the tusker away from human habitation.
The incident occurred near the spot where an auto driver was killed during a wild elephant attack on February 26.
