“I’m afraid the elephant that killed my father could come back to attack again,” says 13-year-old Alna Joseph.

On 10 February, Ms Joseph was coming back from morning prayers at her village church in Mananthavady city within the hilly Wayanad district of the southern Indian state of Kerala when she noticed a car carrying a bleeding man.

When she reached residence, she discovered that it was the physique of her father Ajeesh Joseph, a 42-year-old farmer, who had been trampled to loss of life by a radio-collared wild elephant – the second such loss of life within the district in three weeks.

As quickly because the native hospital confirmed his loss of life, protests erupted within the city. They had been withdrawn solely after the authorities introduced a 1m-rupee ($12,067, £9,525) compensation for Joseph’s household and a job for his widow.

Neighbouring Karnataka state, to which the elephant belonged, additionally introduced a compensation of 1.5m rupees.

Six days later, one other wild elephant killed Pakkam Vellachalil Paul, a 50-year-old worker of a state-owned eco-tourism mission, whereas he was on responsibility in Pulpally city, about 24km (15 miles) away.

Since then, Wayanad district – identified for its dense forests – has witnessed huge protests as indignant residents blame authorities for failing to guard them from wild animal assaults.

“We often see elephants roaming around when we go out,” Ms Joseph says. “Most of them don’t attack us. But how do we distinguish them from the dangerous ones?”

Last week, the funeral procession for Paul turned violent as protesters sat together with his physique – his final rites had been carried out solely after the intervention of native politicians and spiritual leaders.

Protesters additionally positioned the carcass of a calf killed by a tiger within the city on a forest division car and booed native representatives.

Police accuse protesters of “assaulting forest department employees, damaging a vehicle and stopping policemen from carrying out their duties”.

Opposition Congress get together chief Rahul Gandhi, who represents the Wayanad constituency in parliament, rushed to the state on Sunday to fulfill the households of the animal assault victims.

The state authorities held an all-party assembly and promised to cowl medical bills of these affected by such assaults, whereas the forest division stated it had issued orders to tranquillise the elephant that attacked Joseph.

Residents say they need sturdy boundary partitions, solar-powered fencing, elephant-proof trenches, early warning digital programs, radio-collaring of all wild elephants and creation of wildlife corridors – all issues which have been promised by the authorities prior to now.

There can be rising resentment that the state’s chief minister and forest minister haven’t visited the realm because the assaults.

Man-animal battle is a significant problem for Kerala, state Forest Minister AK Saseendran admits.

Known for its lush inexperienced panorama, the state covers just one.2% of India’s land space, however accounts for two.3% of its forest cowl.

Wayanad has 11,531sq km (1.1m hectares) beneath forest cowl, which is 29.6% of the state’s geographical space.

Residents of the district say many of the electrical fencing and trenches dug to guard them from animal intrusions are in ruins.

Mr Saseendran says habitat loss and local weather change and its impression on the ecosystem have contributed to rising human-animal conflicts right here.

“Most of the raids are by reclusive elderly elephants who are hurt while fighting with youngsters in a herd,” the minister provides.

Authorities say they’re putting in 250 surveillance cameras to trace animal intrusions in susceptible areas of the district.

“We need to protect the lives of both humans and animals and ensure a healthy coexistence,” Mr Saseendran instructed the BBC.

The authorities additionally say the next inhabitants density exerts extra stress on forest assets from dependent communities.

But residents do not completely agree and blame authorities insurance policies for shrinking pure habitats which are forcing animals into residential areas.

N Badusha, a 71-year-old farmer and environmental activist who lives close to the district’s Muthanga Wildlife Sanctuary, says the realm lies on the junction of wildlife reserves of three states.

“Traditional farmers like me and the tribespeople lived here harmoniously for years,” he says.

But many years of bamboo extraction from areas that the elephants relied on for sustenance have destroyed their meals supply, he says, including that the federal government’s push for monoculture plantations akin to teak, sandalwood, mahogany, acacia and eucalyptus has additionally affected the motion of untamed animals.

“Today, around 36,000 of 96,000 hectares of Wayanad forests are monoculture plantations such as eucalyptus,” Mr Badusha says.

“The pristine and precious green spaces, vast swamps and wetlands are depleting,” he explains, pushing wild animals, akin to elephants onto farmlands and residential areas.

Residents say the district’s burgeoning tourism business, cattle grazing, invasive vegetation and forest fires are additionally destroying wildlife habitats within the area.

They blame the authorities for failing to discover a answer to the resultant animal assaults.

In a number of the latest circumstances, residents have additionally questioned the shoddy response by the authorities. They say that the elephant that attacked Joseph had a radio-collar. So, how come the authorities failed to trace the animal and drive it again to the forest?

Mr Saseendran instructed reporters there had been a delay in monitoring the elephant as a result of sign disruption from the radio-collar.

In the case of Paul’s loss of life, his household additionally alleges that he did not get medical therapy on the proper time.

“He was shivering in fear and pain,” his 16-year-old daughter Sona says. “Had he got timely medical assistance, he would have survived.”

The state authorities stated it will inquire into the allegation.

“People have lost faith in the system,” says V Mohammed Ali, who runs a vacationer residence in Wayanad.

It’s not simply wild elephants they’re nervous about however animals like wild boars, tigers, bison and monkeys that make off with their cattle and eat their crops.

“Two months ago, a tiger killed a man and his half-eaten body was recovered later,” Mr Ali says. “People wanted to shoot the animal but were stopped by the authorities.”

Forest officers have additionally not been capable of find the tiger that killed the cattle in Pulpally as its pugmarks had been untraceable.

“My only prayer is that no child is orphaned because of irresponsible authorities again,” Ms Sona says. “No other little one should ever have to cry like I did. We should be able to leave our homes without fear of an attack.”