By Jose Kavi
New Delhi, May 6, 2024: Political leaders and media fraternity in Kerala on May 8 mourned the death of a video journalist in an attack by a wild elephant.
A V Mukesh, who worked as a cameraman in the Palakkad bureau of Mathrubhumi News, was killed early May 8 while filming a herd crossing a river in Kottekkad area in Kerala’s Palakkad district. He was 34.
According to the TV network, Mukesh was rushed to the Palakkad district hospital after sustaining injuries in the tusker attack, but he could not be saved.
He was a native of Parappanangadi in Malappuram district and is survived by his wife Tisha.
Before his stint in Palakkad, Mukesh worked in the New Delhi bureau of the TV channel, it said.
Kerala Forest Minister A K Saseendran paid condolences to Mukesh’s family and termed his death “extremely saddening.”
He had always tried to bring to limelight the struggles of the marginalized and neglected people and those fighting to preserve pristine forests.
He published a series of articles in Mathrubhumi Online under the title Athijeevanam (survival) that narrated the pain of 110 people struggling to lead a dignified life.
“Mukesh’s departure is a great loss to the Malayalam media scene. Condolences to Mukesh’s family and colleagues,” Satheeshan said.
Media social media groups said Mukesh was a victim of the rivalry among various TV channels to get exclusive and breaking news.