Sparking panic across the eastern forest fringes of Kollam in Kerala, a 68-year-old man was killed by a gaur in Kulathupuzha early Thursday morning. The victim, Basheer, a resident of Kulathupuzha, was walking toward the town junction when a straying gaur attacked him near residential zone.

Reportedly, the animal inflicted fatal injuries to his neck, killing him on the spot before local residents or emergency services could intervene. As police and forest officials arrived at the scene, the incident ignited fresh outrage among locals who have long warned of the escalating wild gaur menace in their backyards. 

The death highlights a rapidly worsening wildlife crisis in the Kulathupuzha region. Last year, the town was thrown into panic as herds of up to 20 gaurs began invading residential areas, culminating in a harrowing incident where a student playing football was gored and severely injured. Though the town briefly found relief after forest authorities dug protective trenches, the animals have once again breached the perimeter, bringing the nightmare right back to the residents’ doorsteps.