Palakkad: In a heartbreaking incident, a rubber tapping worker was killed in a suspected wild elephant attack in Alanallur, Palakkad. The deceased has been identified as 65-year-old Ummer Valparamban, a resident of Kottapalli, who was working in a plantation near Edathanattukara under the Alanallur panchayat.

According to forest department officials, the fatality was indeed the result of a wild elephant encounter. Ummer had gone out early in the morning to tap rubber trees, but failed to return. A search operation was launched after he was reported missing, and his lifeless body was later discovered on the edge of the forest.

The exact time of the incident remains uncertain. Preliminary assessments suggest that Ummer may have been fatally injured after being hurled by the elephant. He sustained severe facial injuries, further supporting the theory of a violent confrontation with the wild animal.

This latest incident underscores the rising tension between humans and wildlife in forest-fringe areas.

Source: News Agencies