Tusker found dead in an open well at Thorapalli near Gudalur

A beetle was found dead in an open well at Thorapalli near Gudalur on Sunday morning (June 21, 2026).

Forest department officials said the incident took place inside the property of Mathai Ulak Kannan, who ran a shelter for the underprivileged in the area. The shed is attached to a coffee plantation he owns, officials said. On Sunday morning, residents in the area noticed the dead elephant and informed the forest department.

Officials said they reached the area and conducted a preliminary investigation which indicated that the animal died after falling into an open well about 3-4 feet in diameter. “However, we were not able to conduct the post-mortem on Sunday,” the official said.

An autopsy on the animal’s remains is scheduled for Monday morning. “We will ascertain the cause of death and then consider a case against the property owner for the negligence that led to the death of the elephant,” the official said.

Thorapalli is a key corridor that connects Gudalur to the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve and is used by elephants to navigate the Nilgiri Biopshere Reserve (NBR). Despite numerous incidents in the past few years that have resulted in the deaths of elephants, tigers and leopards, rules mandating the covering of open wells remain unenforced, according to local conservationists, who have pointed to numerous elephant deaths in the region over the past few years due to poorly planned and carelessly maintained human infrastructure.

“While strict action against landowners who do not cover open wells is a must, the forest department must also conduct regular checks in these areas to ensure that wells are covered by landowners to minimize the risk to wildlife,” said a conservationist from The Nilgiris.

Published – 21 Jun 2026 19:53 IST