Wayanad: Protests erupted in Wayanad on Wednesday after a 65-year-old tribal farmer was killed in a wild elephant attack while working on his farmland near the Pulimoodu Michabhoomi tribal settlement in Tirunelli, close to Kattikkulam.

The victim, Raju (65), was engaged in farming activities around 10 am when a wild elephant emerged from a nearby forested area and attacked him. According to local residents, the animal grabbed him with its trunk and hurled him to the ground, causing critical injuries.

Raju was rushed to the Government Medical College Hospital in Mananthavady, where doctors found that he had sustained severe internal injuries. As his condition worsened, he was referred to the Government Medical College Hospital in Kozhikode for advanced treatment. However, he succumbed to his injuries around noon while being shifted to an ambulance from the Mananthavady hospital. Following inquest proceedings by the Tirunelli Police, a post-mortem examination was conducted.

Raju's death triggered protests outside the Mananthavady Government Medical College Hospital, where family members, local residents and CPM workers refused to accept the body. The protesters demanded an urgent meeting with elected representatives, district administration officials, and other concerned authorities to address recurring wildlife attacks in the region.

Subsequently, a high-level meeting chaired by Mananthavady Sub-Collector Atul Sagar was convened. The meeting was attended by CPM district secretary P Rafeeq, Mananthavady MLA Usha Vijayan, BJP district president Prasanth Malavayal, DCC secretary M G Biju, and officials from the Revenue and Forest Departments.

Following the discussions, the Forest Department announced a solatium of ₹14 lakh for Raju's family, with ₹5 lakh released immediately as the first instalment. The protest was called off after the announcement.

Protesters also demanded an assurance from either MLA Usha Vijayan or Forest Minister Shibu Baby John that one of Raju's dependents would be provided a government job. The demand is understood to be under consideration. Raju's body was later taken for final rites by 4 pm.

Meanwhile, the Forest Department, in an official statement, said the incident occurred while its personnel were engaged in driving away a rogue elephant from the area after issuing mandatory warnings and taking precautionary measures, including public announcements. Officials said staff from the Thrissillery section, along with members of the Rapid Response Team and the Begur Forest Range, were tracking the animal as it moved towards the forest through encroached farmland bordering an Environmentally Fragile Land (EFL) area. The department added that its personnel had transported the injured farmer to the hospital.

The incident comes days after a woman was killed in a wild elephant attack in Idukki. The state's forest-fringe zones have witnessed a rise in human-wildlife conflict in recent years, with wild elephant incursions into farmlands and human settlements becoming more common.