Idukki: A wild elephant pushed a massive tree onto a house at Chullikandam in Mullaringadu, completely destroying the structure in the early hours of Wednesday. The house was owned by Johnny of Narithookkal. A major tragedy was averted as the family had moved to another house for the night.

The elephant reportedly entered the residential area after breaking through a fence installed by the Forest Department. Following the incident, residents alleged negligence on the part of the department, pointing out that this was not the first such intrusion in the area.

Residents said wild elephants have been frequently straying into Mullaringadu over the past few days. "Despite repeated complaints to the Range Officer, no steps were taken to drive the elephants away. Due to the Forest Department's negligence, a house has been completely destroyed today," said local resident Biju. He added that multiple elephants are currently present in the area and that the animal pushed the tree onto the house at dawn.

According to residents, even fences constructed by residents using public contributions have been breached, allowing elephants to enter residential areas. They also recalled a previous fatal elephant attack at the same location, alleging that adequate safety measures were never put in place.

Forest officials, led by the Mullaringadu Range Officer, reached the spot following the incident, triggering protests from local residents. The agitation was temporarily called off after officials assured that the destroyed house would be rebuilt.