A 15-year-old Orang Asli teenage boy has died as a result of being trampled by a wild elephant in Kampung Tual, Pos Senderut near Sungai Koyan, Kuala Lipis at about 10am yesterday (January 9, 2023).
According to Harian Metro, the victim, Andy Yok Manin, 15, was in the durian orchard with his family members when the elephant attacked him.
Lipis District Police Chief Superintendent Azli Mohd Noor said they were informed of the incident at 4.30pm by the village’s tok batin.
“The elephant was part of a herd that had earlier gone on a rampage at Kampung Regang but local residents managed to chase the elephant away to the durian orchard,” he said in a statement.
The victim’s family members were able to save themselves due to information about the attack they received earlier.
After the elephant left, the victim’s family members returned to the durian orchard to find the body of the victim at the scene of the incident.
“The incident was then reported to the police and the deceased has been brought to the forensic unit of Kuala Lipis Hospital for an autopsy to determine the cause of death,” said Azli Mohd Noor.
Previously, the same incident happened to a woman who was killed when her house in Kampung Simoi Baru, Pos Betau was attacked by an elephant on December 6 last year.
While elephant attacks are not uncommon, the gentle giants are known to only behave aggressively if provoked or startled. Netizens believe that loss of habitat and increased human contact is a cause of elephant attacks on humans.
May the deceased rest in peace.
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