Agali: A man returning from work on a motorcycle was tragically trampled to death by a wild elephant at Attappadi on Monday evening, sparking widespread protests in the region. The incident took place near Thavalam, where locals have now launched a sit-in protest, blocking the Mannarkkad–Anakkatti Road since Tuesday morning.

The victim, Shantakumar, a resident of Thekkuvattam, was attacked around 7 p.m. on Monday while travelling from Thavalam to his home. He was killed just a kilometre short of reaching his destination. His death follows another tragic wildlife-related accident in the area just a week earlier. Balasubramanian, a farmer, was killed and his wife Tamil Selvi sustained a severe hip injury after a deer collided with the autorickshaw they were travelling in. The back-to-back fatalities have left the residents of Attappadi enraged and deeply concerned about their safety.

In response to these incidents, hundreds of residents gathered at Thavalam Junction and began a protest that quickly grew in scale. Leaders from all major political parties joined the agitation, which began at 9 a.m. Tamil Selvi and her children, still recovering from last week’s tragedy, also took part in the demonstration.

Mannarkkad Divisional Forest Officer S Abdul Latheef, Agali DySP R Ashokan, and Attappadi Geographical Tehsildar Abhilash held discussions with the protestors. The protest concluded by 1.30 p.m. after officials agreed to the demands raised by the public.

As part of the resolution, the families of both Shantakumar and Balasubramanian were provided an initial compensation of ₹5 lakh each. Authorities also assured that one member from each family would be given a government job through compassionate appointment. The DFO agreed to communicate the demand to increase compensation for victims of wildlife attacks, agricultural loss, and the death of domestic animals.

It was also decided that the elephant responsible for the attack would be identified and captured. Elephants residing in isolated forest patches near inhabited areas would be driven back into the wild. Officials further promised that pending compensation amounts would be disbursed promptly. Additional measures announced included the installation of street lights in areas frequently visited by wild animals, special patrolling in such zones, and the clearing of roadside vegetation to ensure better visibility and reduce the risk of animal encounters. The forest department will also support the local panchayats in controlling the wild boar population, which has been causing significant damage to crops and property.

The protest was led by local leaders including Shibu Cyriac, PM Haneefa, PG Babu Anakkallu, Dharmajan Thavalam, A Senthil Kumar, VK James, Jose Panakkamatam, Mani Kavundikallu, Satheesh Kumar Padavayal, Manoj Bhaskaran, Venkitachalam, Lokanathan, Cholakad Mohanan, C Thankavelu, KM Mathew, and MR Sathyan. Their collective efforts brought attention to the urgent need for improved wildlife management and safety infrastructure in Attappadi.