Summary:
IDUKKI: A cardamom estate watcher was trampled to death by a wild elephant at Puthuppara near Mooalthara in Idukki. The deceased heen identified as P Vel alias Velu (55), from Puthuppara estate. The incident occurred at 6.30am on Saturday.Velu was attacked by the rogue tusker while he was on his way from Puthuppara to Moolathura estate.Other workers of the estate and residents recovered the body from a pit. Later, they laid siege to Poopara national highway, carrying the body for over six hours, seeking immediate action to curb tusker menace.The protest was called off after Idukki RDO M P Vinod reached the spot and held talks with the agitators. He assured that five forest guards would be deloyed in the area and compensation of Rs 10 lakh would be given to the family of the deceased.The body has been shifted to Nedukandam thaluk hospital for postmortem examination.Velu is survived by wife Akkamu and daughters Pandiyamma and Muktheshwari.Since 2002, over 35 lives were claimed in wild elephant attacks in Munnar division alone..