A 58-year-old woman, working as a temporary staff in the Masinagudi post office, died a few hours after she sustained injuries in a wild elephant attack, while she was riding with her husband on a two-wheeler along Bokkapuram Road near Masinagudi in the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (MTR) on Monday evening.
The woman was identified as K. Sarasu. She and her husband, Kumarasamy, were returning home after a visit to a relative’s house when they were forced to stop by the side of the road as two tourist vehicles had blocked the road to take pictures.
According to Forest Department officials, the animal charged at the parked vehicles and injured Sarasu. She was rushed to the Primary Health Centre in Masinagudi with what were at the time thought to be minor injuries. “She was then referred to the Government Medical College and Hospital in Udhagamandalam for precautionary checks,” said a forest official.
However, despite receiving treatment, Sarasu died suddenly on Monday evening. It is suspected that she might have suffered head injuries when she was attacked by the elephant.
Forest Department officials said that they would only know the cause of death once the post-mortem examination was conducted. They also handed over interim compensation to Ms. Sarasu’s family.
Published – April 22, 2025 08:41 pm IST