Eskiraj and his family are still reeling from the shock of narrowly escaping death when a wild elephant stomped towards the autorickshaw they were traveling in.
The incident occurred in the Kannimala estate near the tourist town of Munnar. The wild elephant had attacked an autorickshaw in Kannimala estate near the tourist town of Munnar and killed the driver of the vehicle on Monday night.
Eskiraj (40), his wife Rajina (37) and their 11-year-old daughter Kutti Priya, were hurt while their driver, Suresh Kumar, 46, was fatally injured after the elephant flipped the vehicle and struck him with its trunk.
Esakiraj, his wife and daughter were returning from attending the annual celebration at Nallathanni Little Flower School. Three migrant workers in the auto escaped unhurt.
Rajina, who is now receiving treatment, recounted the harrowing experience and how people in a jeep offered them rescue.
"The driver, Suresh, was trapped when the elephant overturned the vehicle. The elephant threw him to the ground thrice. My husband was thrown to the ground," Rajina said. The family was rescued by the people in the jeep behind. Since the lone elephant was stationed near the auto, there was a delay in taking injured passengers to the hospital.
LDF is observing a hartal at KDH village of Munnar from 6 am to 6 pm on Tuesday against the human-animal conflict in the area. Congress has also planned protests including a road blockade at Munnar on Tuesday. Suresh Kumar is the fourth person to be killed by a wild elephant in the state in two months.
