Chennai, Jan 11 (UNI) A female elephant died after falling into a 70-feet gorge near Coonoor in the hilly Nilgiris District of Tamil Nadu yesterday.
Reports quoting forest department officials the elephant might have either suffered an injury and should have become sick, affecting its foot movement.
The elephant had been spotted along the Coonoor ghat for the last few weeks and had been monitored by the Forest department staff and would have suffered a fatal fall while crossing a terrain on the ghat road.
Another report said the female elephant, aged around 15-20 years was found dead in a ravine.
It was suspected that the elephant had gone in search of food near waterfalls on on the sixth hairpin bend on the Coonoor-Mettupalayam National Highway when it slipped and fell from a height of 70 feet and died to injuries, despite the forest officials and veterinary doctors providing treatment.
Forest department officials conducted a post mortem on the spot and buried the carcass .
Meanwhile, in another incident, a 69-year-old woman, identified as Nagamma, was killed in an elephant attack at Kelamangalam village in Krishnagiri district and the forest department announced a compensation of Rs 50,000 to the kin of deceased.
