VALLIKUNNAM: In Vallikunnam, Alappuzha, five people including workers under employment guarantee schemes, were injured in a wild boar attack. Three seriously injured people were admitted to Alappuzha Medical College Hospital with one undergoing emergency surgery.

In the eleventh ward of Vallikunnam Panchayat, Ashokan (58) from Kalathivadakkathil east of Chendankara Temple and neighbours Karunakaran (85) from Kalathil Puthanpurayil, Kalathil Udayan (59), Sunitha (43) and Vasudevan (55) from Madhuban, Kondodimukal, who were employment guarantee workers were attacked.

The wild boar attack, which occurred around 8 am on Friday, caused panic in the area. In the Chendankara area, a wild boar that had traversed through the canal attacked the labourers.

The wild boar first targeted Sunitha, then Vasudevan, who was injured in the fall while attempting to escape. When the women raised an alarm, the frightened boar attacked Ashokan, who was clearing the forest for betel nut cultivation and Karunakaran, who was tilling in the field.

Both Ashokan and Karunakaran suffered injuries to their hands and faces and were promptly taken to Vallikunnam Government Hospital by locals. Fifteen minutes later, Udayan, who had arrived to add fertilizer, was also injured in the wild boar attack and taken to the hospital.

Forest department officials and wildlife experts searched the area for several hours but were unable to locate the wild boar.