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Saturday, Aug 15, 2009
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French tourist trampled to death by elephant

Special Correspondent

— Photo: Special Arrangement

NARROW ESCAPE: Fredrick Jean Lue who was injured in an elephant attack near Udhagamandalam.

Udhagamandalam: A French woman tourist was killed by a wild elephant at Bokkapuram, adjacent to the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve, on Friday.

Del Yotel Annie (66), a retired teacher, was trampled to death when she was photographing a herd of wild elephants. Her son, Fredrick Jean Lue, was injured, and admitted to the Government Hospital in Gudalur.

The tourists from Neuilly Sir Marne in France arrived at Bokkapuram on Thursday and were staying in a private resort. Early on Friday, they trekked to Viboothimalai near the resort, accompanied by two local persons.

On spotting a herd of elephants, they tried to click pictures. An adult and a calf suddenly charged towards them. While Ms. Annie was trampled, Fredrick and one of the local persons sustained injuries. District Forest Officer, Nilgiris North, K. Soundarapandian, said the spot where the incident took place was revenue grazing land. An enquiry will be conducted.

Describing it as an “avoidable tragedy,” coordinator of the World Wide Fund for Nature N. Mohanraj said it should be treated as an eye-opener. There was a need to regulate tourism in wildlife areas, and elephant corridors should be left alone, he said.

Field Director of Mudumalai Tiger Reserve Rajiv K. Srivastava said despite repeated warnings such incidents were taking place in wildlife habitats.

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