In Wayanad, Kerala, a village erupted in protest on Wednesday following the death of Raju, 52, who succumbed to injuries from a wild elephant attack on Sunday. The villagers blocked a highway with an ambulance carrying Raju’s body as they demanded justice.
The incident occurred in Kalloor near Sultan Bathery, where protesters urged the government to address the increasing human-wildlife conflicts in the region. Minister OR Kelu faced the anger of the crowd when he arrived to meet Raju’s family. The protesters called for Rs 50 lakh compensation for Raju’s family and demanded a permanent government job for his son.
Raju was attacked by an elephant while returning home from his farm, sustaining severe injuries to his abdomen and legs. This incident adds to a series of fatalities this year in Kerala due to wild elephant attacks, including forest watcher Paul (age 50), Wayanad resident Aji (age 42), estate watcher Lakshmanan (age 65), and Idukki resident Indira Ramakrishnan.
