Elephant hurls elderly man to death (Bengaluru, India)

Author(s)

Times of India

Date Published

Bengaluru: Little did Nanjegowda (55), a resident of Mugguru village of Kanakapura taluk, Ramanagara district knew that his routine visit to maintain night vigil at the ragi harvesting yard on Saturday would turn fatal. Attacked by a rogue elephant, Nanjegowda was killed. The incident came into light only on Sunday, when other villagers spotted his dead body. 

Officers from nearby Kodihalli police station and forest officials, who inspected the spot, said evidence at the spot indicated that the elephant had hurled the farmer two-three times here with its trunk.

The village is located about 70 km from Bengaluru city and as per the statements of the villagers, elephants keep invading their fields every now and then. “It has become very difficult to protect our crops from wild animals, especially elephants. Repeated complaints to forest officials to tackle the menace has gone in vain. Mere compensation in individual cases won’t help. We need a long-term solution,” said Durgaiah N, a villager.

A forest official said the elephant might have come from Bannerghatta National Park. “We are trying our best to tackle the human-elephant conflict. But elephants are attracted by the crops and they have developed this habit of invading crops,” he added.