Death in the plantation or deep in the forest? Mystery deepens over ‘elephant attack’ in Malappuram

Malappuram: Mystery shrouds the death of 42-year-old Jamsheer in the forest fringes of Karuvarakundu, where the incident was initially reported as a fatal wild elephant attack during rubber tapping work early Tuesday morning.

What began as yet another tragic account of human-wildlife conflict in the Manaliyampadam area is now taking a dramatic turn, with investigators increasingly questioning not just the location of the attack, but whether it occurred during rubber tapping at all — and probing the possibility that he may have been inside the forest as part of a hunting group.

In the early hours, around 5 am, residents of the forest-border village woke to alarming news, Jamsheer, a rubber tapping worker, had allegedly been trampled by a wild elephant while at work. According to initial accounts, fellow workers managed to chase the animal away and rushed him to a private hospital in Karuvarakundu. He was later referred to a hospital in Perinthalmanna, where he succumbed to his injuries. The incident sparked fear among locals already on edge over repeated elephant sightings in the region.

However, a detailed probe by forest officials and Karuvarakundu police has cast serious doubt on that version of events. Teams that examined the rubber plantation in Manaliyampadam found no evidence of elephant presence — no footprints, no signs of disturbance, no indication of an attack. This absence of physical clues has shifted the focus of the investigation away from the plantation and toward the nearby forest.

Investigators now suspect that Jamsheer and a small group may have ventured deep into the forest the previous night, possibly for illegal hunting. Jamsheer, officials say, was no stranger to such allegations, with at least five cases registered against him related to poaching, along with an Arms Act case. The possibility being explored is that the group encountered a wild elephant inside the forest, where Jamsheer may have been fatally injured — and that he was later brought back to the plantation to create the impression of an attack during rubber tapping.

The statements of those who accompanied him have only deepened the mystery. Rajan, who was reportedly injured in the incident, has given multiple, contradictory accounts. “Initially, Rajan said they had gone for rubber tapping. Later, he claimed they were at the forest border to slaughter animals. That too was found to be untrue. He then said they had gone to assess trees for sale, which again did not hold up under verification,” said Divisional Forest Officer Dhanik Lal of Nilambur South. “His statements are inconsistent, and we need to question both him and another person, Sulfikar, in detail to uncover what really happened,” said DFO

Adding to the suspicion, Sulfikar — who was also said to be part of the group — is currently absconding. Officials believe his testimony could be crucial in reconstructing the sequence of events. Investigators are also examining discrepancies in the timeline: while Rajan claimed the incident occurred around 8 am in the plantation, evidence suggests that the vehicle used to transport Jamsheer was called as early as 5 am, indicating the attack may have happened closer to 4 am, possibly deep inside the forest.

Despite the mounting questions, one aspect appears certain: the cause of death. According to police, doctors who conducted the postmortem have confirmed that Jamsheer died due to injuries consistent with an elephant attack. What remains unclear, however, is where and how the fatal encounter took place.

“We can determine the exact location and sequence only after taking the individuals involved back to the area for evidence collection,” a senior police official said.

As protests over recurring elephant threats continue in the region, investigators face increasing pressure to unravel the mystery behind the latest incident.