ALAPPUZHA: In a tragic turn of events, a 65-year-old farmer, Shivankutty K Pillai of Thamarakulam, lost his life on Monday morning after stepping on an electrified wild boar trap allegedly set up by his neighbour. The incident occurred around 7:30 AM as Shivankutty was walking through his neighbour’s land on the way to his farm.

According to a PTI report, the trap — intended to deter wild boars — had been illegally rigged with electricity. The neighbour, who initially assisted in taking the severely injured Shivankutty to a hospital, reportedly fled the scene soon after. Police have launched a search operation to locate him.

Puthanchantha ward member Deepa confirmed that wild boar attacks are a frequent menace in the area, pushing some locals to resort to dangerous and unlawful means of protection. Officials from the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) are on site to inspect the wiring involved.

Police have registered a case and are continuing their investigation. A postmortem will be conducted at Vandanam Medical College.

The incident has sparked renewed concern over the growing human-wildlife conflict and the use of illegal electric traps in rural Kerala.