Summer scares: With the peaking of summer, marauding wild animals throw life out of gear in the eastern regions of Kollam

The residents of Alayamon grama panchayat in Kollam are currently trapped in a living nightmare. The relentless March sun had brought with it some unprecedented visitors—a nomadic herd of gaurs.

For the past few weeks, these massive bovines have been roaming from ward to ward, effortlessly leaping over compound walls. The atmosphere in the region is thick with a palpable sense of panic—children are kept under virtual house arrest, and the streets fall into a haunted silence after dusk. The fear reached a breaking point following a recent incident where two individuals sustained serious injuries following an accident involving the animals, prompting local authorities to begin emergency public announcements to caution the residents.