Wayanad: A security guard was killed in the attack of a wild tusker, at Tholppetty, here. The body of Lakshmanan, 65, the security guard of Bhargavi Estate, residing at Pannikkal Colony, was found by at the coffee plantation, according to police.
Missing for the last two days, the body was retrieved during a search operation launched by relatives and local people towards noon on Thursday. Found with injuries at the same plantation, later the forest officials confirmed that he was trampled by an elephant.
This is the third death due to elephant attacks in the Thirunelli panchayath. Being the harvest season of coffee and pepper all plantations in the region used to engage labourers as night watchers to check for any attempt of theft. The high price of coffee this year also is a matter of concern for plantation owners. According to the data of the forest department, in total 87 persons were killed in the Thirunelli panchayath alone in wildlife attacks during the last two decades.
The Thirunelli police started an investigation into the unnatural death, police said. The body of the victim has been shifted to the Government Medical College, Mananthavadi to conduct post-mortem. Lakshmanan was unmarried and his body would be handed over to relatives after post mortem on Thursday.
