A detailed investigation by the police has revealed that the death of a tribal woman in Idukki was a case of wild elephant attack. Seetha, 42, a resident of Thottappura under the Murinjapuzha forest station, was found dead in the in the Meenmutty reserve forest on June 13.
Peerumade Deputy Superintendent of Police Vishal Johnson said on Thursday (July 24) that the police investigation confirmed that the woman was killed in a wild animal attack and that the injuries found on her body were due to the elephant attack.
The initial findings was that Seetha was killed in a wild elephant attack and her post-mortem examination was held at the Peerumade Taluk Hospital. However, after the post-mortem examination, it was alleged that the doctor disclosed the findings to the media and said that it was a case of murder.
Later, former District Police Chief T.K. Vishnu Pradeep formed a three-member special team, including Mr. Johnson, to investigate the case.
According to the police, the team conducted a detailed investigation and found the presence of the wild elephant in the area on the day of the incident. They also recorded the detailed statement of her husband, Binu, and children. “The police will submit a detailed report before the court within two weeks,” said Mr. Johnson.
Recently, Mr. Pradeep had submitted a complaint before the District Medical Officer against Peerumade Taluk Hospital surgeon Adarsh Radhakrishnan. The complaint alleged that the doctor disclosed the post-mortem findings to the media before informing the investigation team. Following this, the media reported that the woman had been murdered and that her husband was in police custody even before any official confirmation from the police. This hampered the investigation process, said the complaint.
Published – July 25, 2025 04:20 pm IST
