Elephant charges at tourists playing in Cauvery river at Mekedatu Sangam, woman injured

RAMANAGARA: A wild elephant suddenly attacked tourists frolicking in the Cauvery river, injuring a woman. The incident took place near Mekedatu in the Sangama forest area on Friday evening.

While hundreds of tourists were playing in the Cauvery river in the Sangama forest area of Kanakapura taluk, a lone tusker that came from the forest suddenly charged at the visitors. At that time, the tourists ran helter-skelter from the spot.

The wild elephant attacked a woman and then crossed the river and ran back into the forest. The woman has sustained minor injuries and has been admitted to a local hospital. The scene of the lone tusker, which had come
from the forest to drink water, attacking the tourists, was captured on a local’s mobile phone.

Forest Department officials visited the spot and conducted an inspection. Locals urged that forest staff be deployed at the tourist spot.