Elephant Melee Causes Autorickshaw Overturn, Injures Four

Four sanitation workers were injured, one seriously, after an elephant fleeing from another tusker overturned their autorickshaw near Munnar. The incident happened near an unfenced waste dumping yard frequented by wild animals. Calls for fencing the yard have been ignored.

Four sanitation workers were injured, one of them seriously, after their autorickshaw was overturned by an elephant near Munnar in Idukki district on Wednesday. The elephant was reportedly fleeing from another tusker at the time.

The incident took place in the morning as the workers were en route to the waste dumping yard in Kallar. Authorities revealed that the yard is unfenced and often frequented by wild animals searching for food.

Forest officials noted that two elephants had been in the area since Tuesday. They got into a fight, prompting one to flee and subsequently overturn the autorickshaw. The injured include a woman who has sustained a fractured leg, while others have minor injuries. Despite repeated requests for fencing, the panchayat has yet to act.

(With inputs from agencies.)