Sharifah Mahsinah Abdulla New Straits Times 15 Feb 14;
JUMBO MAYHEM: Boy trampled, mother suffers broken leg, father escapes
JELI: A 3-YEAR-OLD boy was killed and his mother wounded when they were attacked by a wild elephant in front of their house in Kampung Wakaf Zin, Ayer Lanas here yesterday.
Aidit Nasrullah Wan Mahmud, who was believed to have been trampled, was pronounced dead at the district hospital.
His mother Rezamawati Che Mat Bidin, 37, suffered a fractured leg and injuries to the stomach.
Rezamawati said she, her husband Wan Mahmud Wan Noh, 33, and their son were about to leave their house on a motorcycle when the elephant appeared behind them at 10am.
"My husband shouted at us to run away, but my son and I were too startled to do anything.
"My husband managed to escape into the nearby bushes as the elephant charged towards my son and me," she said at the hospital.
Rezamawati said the elephant kicked her but she was unsure what happened to her son.
"What I remember is seeing my husband carrying our son after the elephant fled."
Her husband escaped unhurt in the incident.
According to a witness, who declined to be named, the elephant crushed the motorcycle with its legs, wrapped its trunk around it and flung it 30m away.
"The boy was trampled by the animal and died upon arrival at the hospital."
Meanwhile, 20 rangers from the state Wildlife Department (Perhilitan) led by district assistant chief Cosmas Ngau mounted an operation to track down the elephant.
Present was state Perhilitan assistant director Shaary Awang Besar, who said the depart-ment was investigating how the elephant had strayed into the village.
Wild elephant kills boy, injures mother
The Star 15 Feb 14;
JELI: A three-year-old boy was killed and his mother was injured after a wild elephant attacked them in a rubber plantation at Bukit Perawas, Ayer Lanas here Saturday.
Jeli district police chief DSP Sheik Azhar Sheik Omar said the attack occurred about 10am while the boy's parents were tapping rubber.
Their son, Wan Aidid Nasrullah Wan Mahmud, was left in a motorcycle basket.
He said Wan Aidid's mother, Rezamawati Che Mat, 37, was injured on the body and legs, while her husband, Wan Mahmud Wan Omar, 33, who was some distance away, was not harmed.
Residents helped to take the mother and son to the Jeli Hospital, but the boy died on the way, he told reporters here.
Following the incident, Sheik Azhar said the Wildlife and National Parks Department managed to track down the elephant and efforts were being made to catch the pachyderm and relocate it.
Meanwhile, Rezamawati, when met at her house in Kampung Bukit Perawas, said she had left Wan Aidid Nasrullah, the youngest of five siblings, in the motorcycle basket while she and her husband went to tap the rubber trees.
"Suddenly the elephant came and attacked me and then rushed towards the motorcycle, forcing my son to be thrown out of the basket," she added.
She said her husband, who was nearby, shouted "Allahuakbar" several time before the elephant fled. - Bernama
Boy dies in wild elephant attack
syed azhar The Star 16 Feb 14;
JELI: Fellow villagers had warned rubber tapper Wan Mahmood Wan Noh to be careful when he ferried his wife and child on a motorcycle because a wild elephant was roaming the Kampung Bukit Perawas area.
A sudden encounter with the beast yesterday proved tragic when he lost his four-year-old son.
Little Wan Aidit Nasrullah was killed after the elephant rammed the motorcycle he was riding with his parents while on their way to tap rubber.
Recalling the morning tragedy, Wan Aidit’s mother, Rezamawati Che Mat Bidin, 37, said her husband had braked and the motorcycle screeched to a stop when an elephant suddenly appeared in front of them.
“He then did a quick U-turn. The elephant charged and rammed the motorcycle.
“We were lucky that after we fell, the elephant rumbled away from us.
“My son was motionless. We quickly picked ourselves up and rode back to our house to take the car. We rushed Wan Aidit to the hospital,” said Rezamawati, who suffered a broken rib, to reporters at the district Hospital here.
She added that Wan Aidit was pronounced dead upon arrival at the hospital.
“We should not have gone out to tap rubber after we were warned by neighbours about the presence of an elephant that had attacked another rubber tapper in our area,” said the sobbing mother.
Wan Mahmood was unhurt in the incident.
The same elephant was believed to have attacked a fellow rubber tapper Hashim Yaacub, 67, at his rubber plantation earlier.
He was tapping rubber at 8.45am yesterday when he heard rustling among the bushes.
“All of a sudden, an elephant burst out of the bushes and pushed me to the ground with its head.
“I remained motionless as it started stepping on me. I felt pain on my ribs and was prepared to die. Suddenly, the elephant turned around and went off towards a nearby river, “ said the grandfather of 13.
Hashim sustained broken ribs and was admitted to the hospital.
District police chief Deputy Supt Che Azhar Che Omar confirmed the incident, adding that the Wildlife and National Park rangers were hunting for the elephant.
Jeli MP Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamad visited the homes of Wan Mahmood and Hashim. He pledged a sum of RM20,000 from the National Disaster Fund for both families.
Hunt on for killer jumbo
Sharifah Mahsinah Abdullah New Straits Times 17 Feb 14;
TRACKING: Perhilitan says elephant that killed boy came from Thailand
KOTA BARU: THE wild elephant that attacked three members of a family, killing one of them in Jeli on Saturday, is believed to have come from a jungle in Thailand.
Kelantan Wildlife and National Parks Department (Perhilitan) director Mohammad Khairi Ahmad said the animal was believed to have lost its way when it strayed into Kampung Wakaf Zin where the incident occurred.
"Checks show that the elephant had come from the Halabala forest in Thailand.
"It had moved from one smallholding to another and was about to head into another area when it attacked the family.
"This is based on the trail of its footprints, and also because there is no jungle in the village's surrounding areas."
Rangers started an operation to track down the elephant on Saturday but have yet to locate its whereabouts.
"The operation will continue today (yesterday).
"Hopefully, we will capture the animal as we believe it is still roaming in the area."
In the 10am incident, 3-year-old Wan Aidit Nasrullah Wan Mahmud was killed, while his mother Rezamawati Che Mat Bidin was wounded after they were attacked in front of their house.
Wan Aidit's father, Wan Mahmud Wan Noh, escaped unhurt.
Jeli member of parliament Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed, who visited the victim's family at their home on Saturday, said he was shocked.
"There have been no incidents of animals attacking villagers since 2006.
"Before that, cases of people being attacked by tigers in Jeli happened regularly.
"Then such attacks stopped. Since then, there have not been any reports.
"This incident, however, proves otherwise.
"Villagers should take precaution."
He said he believed the electrical fence constructed to keep out elephants had failed to function properly or it could be damaged.
"The government spent about RM2 million for the project.
"Before 2006, the fence had reduced the number of elephants straying into villages," said Mustapa, who is also the international trade and industry minister.
He said he would discuss the matter with the relevant authorities, including Perhilitan.
Later, Mustapa announced a RM20,000 compensation for the victim's family under the National Disaster Fund, while Rezamawati would receive financial aid based on the injuries she sustained.
Read more: Hunt on for killer jumbo - General - New Straits Times http://www.nst.com.my/nation/general/hunt-on-for-killer-jumbo-1.485776#ixzz2tYnt0Sda
