Thiruvananthapuram: A KSRTC bus with passengers on board had a narrow escape after a wild elephant blocked the road and attacked the vehicle along the forest stretch near Achankovil on Wednesday noon.The bus, travelling from Punalur to Achankovil, encountered the elephant along the Alimukku–Achankovil route. The animal, a familiar presence in the area, suddenly stepped in front of the vehicle near Chittar Thura under the Konni forest division, leaving passengers startled. Acting on the instructions of conductor Unnikrishnan, driver Bijumon brought the bus to a halt. However, when the driver attempted to reverse, the elephant charged at the vehicle and struck it with its tusks. Panic gripped passengers, whose loud cries eventually forced the animal to retreat into the forest.Though the elephant has been frequently sighted in Achankovil region for years, this is the first reported instance of it attacking a vehicle. Forest officials suspect the animal may have been provoked earlier, possibly by motorbike riders who passed along the route just ahead of the bus. Following reports of the elephant’s presence on the road, forest officials reached the spot. Vehicles were allowed to proceed only after a while as a mark of precaution.
