A 14-year-old boy was killed in a wild elephant attack in the Bitherkad forest range under the Gudalur division in the Nilgiris late on Tuesday (May 26, 2026).

The deceased, identified as S. Misbah, a resident of Paakana Puthurvayal, was a Class VIII student at a private school. He had gone to a local barber shop to get his hair cut and was returning home when he crossed paths with an elephant, which attacked him.

Misbah suffered serious injuries and was immediately rushed to a government hospital in Sulthan Bathery in Kerala, but succumbed to his injuries. On Wednesday (May 27) morning, the deceased boy’s classmates, as well as local residents, staged a protest demanding ₹50 lakh as compensation to his next of kin, besides a government job for one of his family members.

The protesters dispersed after a few hours following talks with the Nilgiris district police. This is the fourth fatality caused by negative human-animal interactions in Gudalur since the beginning of the year and the second in the Bitherkad forest range. According to officials, a number of such interactions resulting in fatalities this year has been due to people entering heavily forested, poorly lit areas in Gudalur, despite the Forest Department’s warnings.

However, the death of Misbah occurred due to a chance encounter between the elephant and the victim, they said, adding that the Forest Department patrols would be strengthened and driving operations would be intensified to keep elephants away from human settlements.