An assistant forest officer on the beat was killed in an elephant attack during an ongoing tiger census in Attappady forest on Saturday afternoon.
Kalimuthu, 48, a resident of Nellipathy, was walking in the forest with two fellow officers in Mulli near the Tamil Nadu border when the elephant attacked him.
The incident happened around 2:00 p.m., about two kilometers inside the forest. Kannan and Achuthan accompanied Kalimutha at that time. Although Mr. Achuthan was caught between the elephant’s legs, he managed to escape with minor injuries.
But the elephant seized Kalimuthu and trampled him. He died on the spot.
After a search operation, personnel of the Forest Rapid Action Force recovered the body of Kalimuthu.
A few days ago, a five-member forest team was trapped in the same area near Mulli during the initial phase of the tiger census. However, after a night spent in the forest, they returned safely.
Published – 06 Dec 2025 20:48 IST
