Elephant Threat: Rapid Response Team vehicle to ferry Chinnakanal students to school

Chinnakanal: A vehicle of the Rapid Response Team (RRT) will be arranged for around 10 students residing in Simgukandam Anganwadi Theruvu in Chinnakanal for their trips to school. “The Forest Department has confirmed the matter,” said Nisha Sabu, president of the Chinnakanal panchayat.

‘Malayala Manorama’ had recently published an article on the difficulties faced by children while travelling to school, and back home, along a slushy forest path where a constant threat of wild elephants prevails.

Presently, the students from Anganwadi Theruvu walk two kilometres daily along the muddy road fearing elephants till the Suryanelli – Bodimettu Road, where their school bus arrives. With the threat of elephants intensifying, parents have been accompanying their children up to the boarding point of the school bus.

Mari (36), a resident of the area, was trampled to death by a wild elephant on Monday morning while she was taking her son to the school bus pickup point. Mari’s son Raksh (11) suffered serious injuries in the elephant attack.

Meanwhile, Devikulam MLA F Raja said a project would be prepared along with the panchayat to make the two-km path from Anganawadi Theruvu to the Sooryanelli – Bodimettu Road motorable.