Overview
- The victim, Muralidharan (Muraleedharan) Nair, 53, was the chief handler of Skandan, owned by Haripad Sree Subrahmanya Swamy Temple in Alappuzha district.
- Skandan first attacked assistant mahout Sunil Kumar around noon, then struck again about 3:30 pm while being shifted, pressing Nair to the ground; he died at a Parumala hospital around 11 pm.
- Sunil Kumar, 40, sustained severe abdominal injuries and remains in critical condition under treatment in Thiruvalla.
- The male elephant had been tethered since March due to musth and was taken out on Sunday from the temple priest’s residence.
- Mahouts restrained and moved the elephant to a shed, after which a Devaswom veterinarian tranquilised it, and Haripad police opened an investigation.