Palakkad: A pregnant tribal woman in Attapadi, who was experiencing severe labour pain, was carried on her shoulders by local residents in a cloth sling, covering a three-km-long treacherous forest path in pitch darkness.

Sumati Murukan, a resident of Kadukumanna Uru in the Attapadi reserve forest, gave birth to her baby soon after she was brought to the hospital early Sunday. She belongs to the Kurumba tribe living in the dense forest region of Kadukumanna, which comes under Puthoor panchayat.

The only path for the tribal population to reach the outside world is a hanging bridge over the Bhavanipuzha river. They have to cross the bridge and then walk on foot for another three kms to reach Aanavayi to avail of any transportation facility.

Sumati started experiencing intense labour pain by 12.45 am at the midnight. The villagers then contacted junior public health nurse Priya Joy over the phone. Though they tried calling various places for an ambulance, they couldn’t find any. But they persisted and a 108 ambulance from Kottathara finally arrived at Aanavayi at 2.30 am. It couldn’t proceed further to Kadukumanna due to the treacherous stretch and the heavy rainfall.

The locals said though they tried to get a private vehicle, none was willing to come, due to fear of wild tuskers. The residents then carried her on their shoulders in a handmade cloth sling through the slippery path down the hilly region, braving the wild elephants and the downpour to finally reach Aanavayi by 5 am. She was then rushed to the hospital in the ambulance.