Kerala Forest Dept to support children of Idukki woman killed in elephant attack

Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala Forest Department will take responsibility for the welfare of the children of a woman who was killed in a wild elephant attack in Chinnakkanal, Idukki, Forest and Wildlife Minister Shibu Baby John said on Tuesday.

Mari, 37, was killed on Monday while taking her son to school. Her son sustained injuries in the attack and is undergoing treatment in hospital.

Announcing a support package for the family, the minister said the Forest Department would ensure the children's education and welfare.

A fixed deposit account will be opened in the children's names, and the first instalment of the compensation amount of ₹5 lakh will be deposited into it. The department will also bear their educational expenses, provide ration support until they turn 18, and grant ₹5,000 a month for other expenses.

The minister said a forest officer would be assigned as a mentor to the children, while the government would coordinate with the Women and Child Development Department to provide additional assistance.

"We are not merely announcing compensation and leaving the family to navigate bureaucratic procedures. The department will take responsibility for the children's protection and welfare and create a new model of care," he said.

Shibu Baby John also said the state government was preparing a comprehensive plan to address the growing human-wildlife conflict in Kerala.

"A comprehensive plan is being prepared, and on July 9 we will meet the Union ministers and the Prime Minister to make them aware of Kerala's social realities," he said.

Describing the situation in Chinnakkanal as serious, the minister said elephants were increasingly living close to human settlements and that certain unscientific rehabilitation measures adopted in the past had worsened the problem.

"The government is trying to reduce the conflict through proper planning and systematic measures," he said.

According to local residents, Mari and her son encountered a wild elephant while walking from their home to the main road on Monday morning. Heavy rain and dense fog reportedly reduced visibility, and it is suspected that they failed to notice the animal nearby.

Mari suffered fatal injuries in the attack and died shortly afterwards, while her son was taken to hospital for treatment.

The incident triggered protests by local residents, who questioned forest officials over repeated elephant attacks in the region. Protesters initially refused to allow the body to be taken for post-mortem examination, demanding a permanent solution to the recurring threat posed by wild elephants.

Residents also sought adequate compensation for the victim's family and urged the forest minister and senior officials to visit the area and implement effective measures to prevent elephant incursions into human settlements.