Idukki: Ending weeks of speculation, police have confirmed that the death of Seetha, a 42-year-old tribal woman from Thottappura, was caused by an elephant attack, District Police Chief Vishnu Pradeep said. Seetha died inside the Meenmutty forest of Peermedu on June 13 while collecting forest produce along with her husband and two children. The confirmation comes after conflicting statements from medical and forest officials, some of whom had initially suggested the possibility of homicide. However, a forensic investigation and a joint site inspection have led police to rule out foul play and attribute the death to a wildlife encounter.

The injuries found on her body led police to conclude that they were consistent with an elephant attack. According to police, the neck injuries may have occurred while her body was being carried out of the forest. The fractured ribs could have been sustained both during the attack and while transporting the body on the shoulder.

Though the postmortem conducted at Peermedu Taluk Hospital initially reported the absence of clear signs of an elephant attack, the subsequent forensic examination confirmed the presence of elephants in the vicinity. This led police to definitively conclude that the death resulted from an elephant attack. The final investigation report will be submitted to the Peermedu court within two weeks.

Confusion over forensic surgeon’s statement
From the outset, Seetha’s husband Binu, a temporary employee with the Forest Department, and their sons Sajumon and Ajimon maintained that she was killed by an elephant. However, the controversy began after Assistant Surgeon Dr Adarsh Radhakrishnan of the Peermedu Taluk Hospital, who conducted the postmortem, told some media outlets that the death was not due to an elephant attack but possibly a homicide.

He cited signs of a struggle on the body, along with indications that her head had been struck multiple times against a hard surface like a rock or tree. The District Forest Officer (DFO) also expressed doubts over the elephant attack theory, casting suspicion on Binu.

The police, however, dismissed these theories, stating that a conclusion could not be made without the final postmortem report. A joint inspection of the forest area by the police, forest officials, and forensic team later revealed clear signs of elephant activity. Food items like rice, which Seetha’s family had brought into the forest, were found to have been destroyed by elephants, a finding confirmed in the forensic report as well.

The District Police Chief clarified that while the surgeon had expressed certain reservations in the preliminary report, a detailed deposition later aligned with the police findings. In the final statement, the surgeon confirmed that the death was indeed consistent with a wild animal attack.

Following these developments, a special team was constituted under Peermedu DySP Vishal Johnson, with two SHOs assigned to the investigation. The case had drawn significant public and political attention, especially after Dr Adarsh went on leave starting June 17 without providing a clear reason. A departmental inquiry has been initiated against him. The District Police Chief had submitted a complaint before the Idukki District Medical Officer against him after the latter allegedly made public the post-mortem details of Seetha.