KANNUR: A wild elephant that is suspected to have killed a tribal woman at Aralam here two weeks ago died on Thursday apparently due to injury caused by some explosion.

Forest officials said the elephant was found wandering in Aralam with some injury in its mouth in the last week of April, nearly a week after the tribal woman was trampled to death. The injuries did not heal though it was provided treatment after tranquilizing.

They said it fell into a marsh near Valayamchal within Aralam wildlife sanctuary on Thursday and died.

"Since the elephant travels almost 50 km a day, and Aralam is bordered by forests in Wayanad and also Karnataka, we haven't been able to ascertain as to from where it was injured," Aralam assistant wildlife warden Madhusudhanan V said. "However, one thing is sure, that the explosive exploded in the elephant's mouth. We suspect that the explosive could have been kept by farmers to kill wild pigs destroying crops."

Kannur divisional forest officer Rajan C V said, "We have registered a case of unnatural death and a probe is on.to nab those who caused the death."

He, however, said the tribal people inhabiting the area never do such things.

Forest officials said the elephant could have got injured in some distant place. It could have travelled all the way to Aralam and could have killed the tribal woman, they said.

The incident has once again brought to focus two perennial issues - the menace of wild animals intruding into human habitats and the human threat to wild animals.

forest officer Rajan C V said. "Though it does not seem to be a case of poaching, we will take action if it was found that any such gang was behind the incident."