Andhra couple killed in elephant attack, govt announces Rs 5 lakh ex gratia

A couple were crushed to death by an elephant in Chittoor district on Wednesday, August 30. The incident took place when they were heading towards their fields. The deceased were identified as Venkatesh (50) and Selvi (48) residents of 190 Ramapuram Village in Gudipala mandal. Another person was injured in the incident.  The state government has announced  Rs 5 lakhs ex gratia amount to the kin of the deceased.

According to reports, the elephant entered the village during the early hours and created chaos by trampling cattle in the village. The incident caused panic in the village, who demanded immediate action from the forest officials.

Following the incident, Chief Conservator of Forest P Nageswara Rao visited the village and initiated efforts to control the situation. 

Previously wild elephant attacks have been reported near the Koundinya reserve forest, which spans Palamner and Kuppam constituencies. The elephants in the region are also susceptible to human intervention. On June 14 this year, three elephants were mowed down by a speeding truck in the Chittoor district. 

In a similar wild animal attack, on August 11, a six-year-old girl who was trekking with her parents in Alipiri walkway to  Venkateswara temple in Tirumala was fatally mauled by a leopard. Following the accident, four leopards were trapped and shifted to SV zoological park in Tirupati.