Two separate gaur attacks kill three persons in Kerala

Kottayam: Two separate gaur attacks on Friday morning at Erumeli and Anchal, in the districts of Kottayam and Kollam, respectively, resulted in the deaths of three people, said Kerala police. 

Purathel Chackochan (70) and Thomas Plavinamkuzhiyil (71) were killed at Erumely after a gaur, which ventured into a rubber plantation, attacked them at around 8 AM.

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A senior forest official told PTI that Thomas, who was engaged in rubber tapping inside the plantation which was near the forest area, was attacked first by the gaur. Thomas later succumbed while undergoing treatment at a hospital. 

"As per preliminary reports, it initially attacked the rubber tapper and later hit the owner of a nearby house, who came out after hearing some noise," the official said.

He said forest officials from the Erumeli division and other nearby divisions reached the spot. Meanwhile, locals began a protest against the authorities citing lapses on behalf of officials. Chackochan's body was kept at a hospital in Kanjirappally after the incident.

In a separate incident, Samuel Varghese was killed in the eastern Kollam district, close to Anchal. 

Police said the place was around 10 km from the nearby forest area. Forest officials have reached the spot and have started an inquiry.

In the early hours of Friday, a gaur was spotted in Vettukadavu, a residential area close to the Chalakudy River, sparking fear. 

As tigers, elephants, wild boars, gaurs, and other animals commonly visit human settlements during the summer, there has been an increase in human-animal confrontations throughout the state, especially in places close to forests. The number of persons killed by wild animal assaults in Kerala has recently increased significantly.

(With inputs from PTI)

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