A man from Idukki district in Kerala died on Sunday night, when an earth mover that was called in to remove the carcass of a wild elephant collapsed on him.
Twenty eight-year-old Jobish Jacko had accompanied the earth mover to direct it to the well, when it lost control and fell on him, burying him in the ground. The accident happened in Kaithappara under Kanjikuzhy police station limits, at around 7.30 pm on Sunday. Although Jobish's body was taken out after removing the soil, he did not survive.
Police say that inquest procedures are underway. The driver of the earth mover has also sustained minor injuries in the accident.
According to the jurisdictional police, the driver would be booked for causing death due to negligence. The forest officials from Thodupuzha called in the earth mover from a private firm to remove the elephant carcass from the spot.
"This is a hilly area and it was raining. The area in itself was dangerous because of the heavy rainfall. The driver should have been careful while driving the earth mover. He was going to a house in Kaithappara, where a wild elephant fell into a well and died. Jobish lived nearby and he accompanied the earth mover to show the way to the house, where the elephant carcass was," Kanjikuzhy police said.
Wild elephants that venture into human settlements have been causing devastation in the region. According to reports, a herd of wild elephants walked into several houses and damaged agriculture late on Saturday night. One of the elephants fell face down into the well of a house, leading to its death. The incident came to light only on Sunday morning and forest officials were alerted to remove the elephant carcass from the well.
However, after the accident that killed Jobish, police said that operation to remove the elephant carcass was called off on Sunday night. It will resume again after the inquest procedures are completed.