Tragedy in Chittoor: Farmer killed in wild elephant attack

A wild elephant attack in Chittoor district turned fatal early Thursday morning when a 65-year-old farmer was killed after the animal trampled him.

The victim, identified as Kittappa from Kurmanupalli village, had gone to sleep in his agricultural field as he did every night. Around 3 a.m., a wild elephant from a nearby forest area entered the field, destroyed the crops, and trampled Kittappa, resulting in his death.

Kuppam Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) B. Parthasarathi said that a lone elephant had attacked Kittappa in the early hours, leaving him dead on the spot. Locals reported that the same elephant had been wandering the surrounding areas alone for the past few days.

Following the incident, forest department officials and police rushed to the scene to investigate. Tracking teams have been deployed to monitor the elephant’s movements.

In recent times, wild elephant sightings and attacks have increased in the border areas of Chittoor district, including Kuppam, Punganuru, and Bangarupalyam mandals. Previous incidents have also claimed the lives of a few farmers, raising public concern. Local residents are urging the government to take immediate measures to restrict elephants to forest areas and prevent further tragedies.