Loading dispatches...
← Return to NewsroomPolitics
Schoolboy killed in elephant attack in Nilgiris
Breaking
Cornell president says university 'must do better' after frat house rape allegations
S. Misbah | 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. Published - May 27, 2026 05:03 pm IST
The 21st Rose Show began at Government Rose Garden in Udhagamandalam on Thursday. With this year’s theme being birds, the main attraction is two swans made of 70,000 flowers. | The summer festival season in The Nilgiris kicked off with the 21st Rose Show organised at the Government Botanical Garden in Udhagamandalam on Thursday.The show is being organized jointly by The Nilgiris district administration and the Horticulture Department and was inaugurated by The Nilgiris Collector Lakshmi Bhavya Tanneeru. The Rose Show, one of three summer festival events to be held this year, is to take place till May 18. Different varieties of bird decorations with flowers on display at the Rose Show in Udhagamandalam. | Following the inauguation, Ms. Tanneeru told reporters that the district, known as the “Queen of hill stations” attracts tourists from across the country and the world each year. This year, the Rose Show has been organised around the theme – Birds’ paradise, and nearly 2 lakh flowers have been used to create exhibits showcased at the show.Creating awareness among visitors of the avian diversity in the district, exhibits of hornbills, raptors, ducks, bulbuls, sunbirds, Indian roller and sparrows were also created as floral exhibits. “In addition, attractions inspired by “Angry Birds” and “Tweety Bird” have been set up to entertain children, along with selfie spots for visitors,” a press release from the district administration stated.A new feature introduced this year is the installation of QR codes near each bird display. Visitors can scan the codes to hear the sounds and learn more information about the birds displayed at the Rose Show. The rose garden currently hosts 4,301 varieties of rose plants, out of which more than 3,300 are in full bloom during the current season. The Nilgiris district Collector Lakshmi Bhavya Tanneeru visited the flower decorations after inaugurating the Rose Show in Udhagamandalam on Thursday. | “Several competitions have also been organised for rose growers, and prizes will be distributed to winners during the closing ceremony of the exhibition. Last year, the Rose Show was conducted for 3 days. This year, it will be held for 5 days till May 18. A larger number of tourists are expected to visit this year. The District Collector further appealed to tourists visiting the Nilgiris not to use or bring banned plastic items into the district to protect the fragile hill environment,” a press release added. Published - May 14, 2026 08:26 pm IST
Discussion (0)