In a tragic incident on Tuesday morning, a 42-year-old man lost his life after being attacked by a wild elephant in Bokkapuram, located within the buffer zone of the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (MTR).
The victim, identified as R. Puttu Maathan from Thottlingi village, Bokkapuram, was reportedly walking along a road when the elephant charged. He suffered severe injuries and, despite efforts to rush him to the Government Medical College and Hospital in Udhagamandalam, he tragically passed away en route.
This incident follows other concerning wildlife encounters in the Nilgiris. On Monday night, a leopard caused a stir in Kil Kotagiri when it entered a canteen at the Sivagami tea estate. Officials reported that the leopard was apparently chasing a cat when it entered the premises, startling a man inside who quickly managed to escape. The entire dramatic event was captured by the building’s CCTV cameras.
Adding to the regional wildlife activity, a sloth bear was observed on Monday within the Raj Bhavan premises, which is part of the Government Botanical Garden (GBG) in Udhagamandalam. Forest department officials are actively monitoring the situation to determine if the bear has left the area.