Udhagamandalam:
A 22-hour-road blockade by villagers of Ayyankolli, about 80 km from Udhagamandalam, over the killing of a tribal by an elephant, ended yesterday, after the district administration and police assured them that their pending demands on safety would be taken up with government.
One 50-year old Balan was gored to death by an elephant on Sunday, while he was returning home following which about 100 villagers assembled at a junction with the body, and staged a road blockade demanding presence of officials.
As the demonstrators sat through the entire night at the junction, a large number of students joined them this morning, police said.
District Collector, P Sankar and Superintendent of Police, T Senthilkumar and other officials held talks with the villagers, who dispersed after they assured that government would be apprised of their demands like digging trenches and also erecting solar fencing to prevent entry of elephants.
The administration has also handed over a cheque for Rs. three lakh to the kin of the deceased, police added.