Chennai, July 30: In a tragic incident, a brave woman jumped in front of an elephant to save her daughter in Tamil Nadu's Nilgiris on Thursday. The woman suffered severe injuries and passed away. But her sacrifice did not go in vain as she succeeded in saving her daughter from a deadly elephant attack, who walked away with minor injuries.

According to a report published by Onmanorama, the deceased woman, identified as Sunitha (42), passed away at Kozhikode's Medical College Hospital on Friday. She valiantly battled the injuries inflicted upon her when a wild elephant trampled her, leaving her with broken ribs and severe damage to her lungs and heart. Her daughter Aswathy (19) managed to escape with only minor scratches on her body from the terrifying encounter. Leopard Attack in Uttar Pradesh: Big Cat Attacks Brothers, Beaten to Death by Villagers in Bijnor.

Around 7.45 am on a Thursday morning, the heart-wrenching incident took place in the serene Nilgiris district of Tamil Nadu. Sunitha and her daughter, Aswathy, were en route to the village bus stop when an enraged elephant suddenly charged towards them, turning their journey into a harrowing and tragic ordeal.

Typically, Aswathy, a final-year student at a Government College in Gudalur, would walk alone to the nearby bus stop, a short 10-minute journey from her home. However, due to the sighting of an elephant herd in the area the previous night, Sunitha made a thoughtful decision to accompany her daughter on that particular day. Aswathy's father, Ravi, had been away for several months, occupied with work in Kozhikode during this time. Elephant Attacks in Odisha: Minor Among Two Trampled to Death by Elephants in Separate Incidents in Balasore and Nayagarh.

A loud noise startled a group of women, and they found themselves in close proximity to an elephant herd. Suddenly, one of the elephants charged toward them and in the panic, Aswathy fell. Sunitha, who was at a safe distance, rushed back to save her daughter. Sunitha, who had managed to maintain a safer distance, immediately reacted and rushed back to save her daughter. With unwavering courage, she bravely threw herself over Aswathy, shielding her from the approaching elephant just as it was about to trample them. The elephants were chased away by villagers who discovered the woman and her daughter lying unconscious.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 30, 2023 09:17 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).