Father, son escape as wild elephant attacks car in Kerala
The elephant, which has been roaming the area for several days, charged at their vehicle, attempting to push it off the road before retreating back into the forest.
A father and son narrowly escaped injury when a wild elephant attacked their car on a road near Vadasserikkara town in Kerala. The incident unfolded around 11:30 a.m. as the duo, both residents of the area, were returning home after a hospital visit along the Vadasserikkara-Kumbalathamon road. The elephant, which had been wandering in the vicinity for several days, suddenly crossed onto the road and charged at the vehicle.
The father, Lijin John, managed to get out of the car and run for safety, while his son did the same. The elephant caused damage to the car before disappearing into the forest. John recounted that the elephant had charged at the vehicle with a trumpet before attempting to push the car off the road with its trunk. He expressed concern that the consequences could have been much more severe if the car had ended up in the nearby gorge.
Forest department officials stated that the region had been experiencing frequent intrusions by wild elephants for some time. The area, situated on the edge of the forest, is protected by two solar fences, and the elephant is believed to have breached one of the sagging sections of fencing. Rapid response teams and personnel from the nearby forest stations secured the area immediately following the incident and have maintained a presence ever since.
Local residents expressed their growing fear of wild elephants reaching the town, noting that the prospect had become increasingly real. They now find it difficult to venture outside their homes after dark, and the presence of elephants in inhabited areas, even during daylight hours, has heightened a sense of insecurity. Despite a visit from the Forest Minister a few weeks ago and directives to take measures to prevent such incursions, no follow-up action has been taken by the authorities.
Residents believe that elephants often enter inhabited areas by following riverbanks, wading through water, and crossing to the other side before moving into farmlands. They clear their path by knocking down embankments along the river.
Written by urgent.news from The Hindu's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
