Kottayam: A 65-year-old permanent watcher of the Kerala Forest Department has been admitted to the Kottayam Medical College Hospital after he escaped with injuries from an elephant attack. The wild elephant had knocked Arumukham Kannan down and stomped on his leg.
Kannan shudders as he recollects his close encounter with the wild elephant around 4pm on Tuesday at the Ettapanthal area of the Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary.
The giant attacked Kannan, beat forest officer Vivek, temporary watchers Senthil and Shoban.
Kannan said that they were on their way back after carrying out the regular inspection in the forest, when the horrific incident happened.
"We had seen the herd of wild elephants twice. As we climbed the slope at Pulmedu, we found ourselves right in front of the wild elephant herd. All four of us ran. I stumbled over the root of a tree and fell. As I got up, the elephant was right before me. First, it knocked me down and hit me with its trunk. Then it stomped on my leg and I heard the crackling sound of the bone breaking. As I lay on my back, the elephant passed over my body,” Kannan recounted.
“When the elephant was at some distance away from me, I wanted to get up and run but I could not even move my left leg. Then the others rushed towards me and created a ruckus, diverting the elephant's attention. They carried me on their shoulders for 4 km and took me to the IC tunnel area. The forest department officials were waiting for us with the vehicle there,” he added.
Kannan, a native of Kumily, has been working with the forest department for 18 years. Though he comes across wild elephant herds on most of the days, Kannan said that this was the first time he had been attacked.
Medical College orthopaedics department unit chief Dr George Thomas said that a surgery would have to be performed on the leg. "There is bone fracture. Muscles in the area where the elephant stamped him have been damaged. Skin is bruised as well. Tests, including scanning, were held. After evaluating his health condition, a decision will be made on the surgery,” the doctor explained.
