Family members and relatives of a 60-year-old man, who was allegedly trampled to death by a wild elephant on Friday, demanded compensation of ₹20 lakh from the Tamil Nadu government in Tenkasi district on Saturday.
Forest officials said Mookiah, 60, of Valayar Kudiyiruppu was a watchman at a private farm in Kadayanallur. When he did not respond to their calls on Saturday, family members went to the farm and found his body. They refused to accept the body after post-mortem and demanded ₹20 lakh compensation. They relented after forest and police officials persuaded them.
Preliminary inquiry revealed that Mookiah had three daughters and wife. The forest officials led by Suresh and Inspector Balakrishnan visited the farm house and registered a case.
Meanwhile, the Tenkasi District Farmers’ Association appealed to the government to protect them and their crops from wild animals. They were not only a menace, but also life-threatening. The government should give relief and also a job to the legal heir on compassionate grounds, they said.
The association members also demanded that the forest authorities install fencing so that the villagers, who worked as night watchmen in farms, were safe. The officials assured them of action after which they dispersed.