An Irula tribesman was trampled to death by a wild elephant in the forest near Thondamuthur in Coimbatore district.
The deceased was identifed as M. Maruthachalam, 68, from the Adivasi settlement at Attukal near Thondamuthur, who was found dead on Sunday (August 24, 2025). The Forest Department officials said that Maruthachalam and three others from the settlement, namely D. Murugan, 55, N. Raja, 29, alias Sagayam, and M. Sathish, 32, trekked Perumalmudi in the Coimbatore forest range around 10 a.m. on Saturday (August 23, 2025) to offer prayers in the temple atop the hill. After offering prayers , they collected wild grass that is used to make brooms.
The group had a close encounter with a wild elephant in an area of Vettaikaran Kovil forest beat, around 1.5 km off their settlement, when they were returning late in the evening. They ran in different directions after seeing the elephant. While the three others reached their settlement , Maruthachalam did not show up.
The trio informed Coimbatore forest range officials about the incident, based on which frontline staff of the department, police personnel from Thondamuthur station and tribesmen carried out a search for the missing man early on Sunday. They found Maruthachalam dead in an area of Vettaikaran Kovil forest beat around 7 a.m. His face was disfigured after being trampled by an elephant.
The body was shifted to a government hospital for a post-mortem. The Thondamuthur police registered a case for unnatural death.
Published – August 24, 2025 07:20 pm IST
