A grieving male elephant calf standing guard near its dead mother, went berserk and injured a man when people attempted to drive the carcass away from the spot in a forest area in this hilly district today.
The calf, estimated to be one-and-half year old, refused to move away from the spot, where the carcass of her mother lay, and turned violent when some people started pulling it away.
In the melee, a 45-year old man sustained injuries, when the tusk of the calf pierced his back, forest officials said.
Local villagers gathered at the spot after hearing that the body of a female elephant was found near a river, after it apparently fell from a height of 30 feet at Athur near Gudalur, about 70 km from here.
The injured person has been admitted to the government hospital here after initial treatment at Gudalur.
Officials said forest personnel were taking steps to persuade the calf to unite with a herd which was roaming in the area.
If the calf failed to unite with the herd, it would be taken to Mudumalai Wild Life Sanctuary, they said.
Elephant calves usually find it very difficult to overcome the loss of their mothers and refuse to move away from the carcass, they said.
