Malappuram: A civil police officer (CPO) was injured early Wednesday morning in an attack by a wild elephant in Nilambur area of this district.
Forest sources said the CPO was kicked in the chest by the elephant after he slipped in the mud while forest officials were trying to drive away the tusker that had entered an inhabited area of Kodalipoyil in Pothukallu grama panchayat of the district on Tuesday evening.
The injured CPO, Sangeeth, was rushed to the Nilambur government hospital and later shifted to Kozhikode medical college hospital.
Sources said wild elephants often cross over the Chaliyar river at Ambittampotti to make it to populated areas of Pothukallu, Santhipara and Kodalipoyil areas.
A special squad has been constituted by the forest department to monitor and ward away wild animals which invade human settlements in the valley.
Sangeeth was among a team of cops from Kozhikode AR camp who were deputed to the special forest squad in Pothukallu.
