VARANTHARAPPILLY: A Rapid Response Team volunteer who had come from Wayanad along with Kumki elephants to drive away wild elephants, which were a nuisance to plantation workers and locals, was attacked by a wild elephant in the Palappilly forest area. Hussain (32) of Kalpur House in Kozhikode's Mukkam, suffered a broken rib, and was admitted to a private hospital in Thrissur for specialist treatment.

Kumki elephants named Vikram and Bharat were brought from the Muthanga conservation center to find the wild elephants and take them to the inner forest. Kumki elephants, RRT members and forest rangers led by Prem Shamir, Palapilli Forest Range Officer, searched the forest adjacent to the residential area. In the afternoon, the search was concluded and the team returned to Patthayapara, where the Kumki elephants were kept. While they were resting after eating, they came to know that there is a wild elephant in Kallai. They reached the spot with Kumki elephants and were attacked. When the RRT members were about to run away, Hussain was hit by the elephants with its trunk. The elephant tried to stab Hussain, who fell down, but dodged. Then the elephant kicked him.