CHIKKAMAGALUR: Two people, identified as Harish (44) and Umesh (40), were trampled to death in an elephant attack in Keremane village near Kerekatte in Sringeri taluk on Thursday. The incident occurred when they went to collect fodder for their cattle. The attack took place in the Karikala forest range, which is part of the Kudremukh National Park.
The local residents were outraged and staged a protest on Friday, blocking the national highway and demanding that the Forest minister arrive at the spot. They alleged that the Forest department had failed to take adequate measures to prevent elephant attacks, which have been frequent in the area.
The protesters refused to allow the authorities to remove the bodies from the spot, demanding justice and compensation for the victims’ families. Local MLA T D Rajegowda and former MLA D N Jeevaraj visited the spot and tried to calm down the protesters.
The protesters, blocked the tahsildar’s vehicle demanded that the Forest minister visit the spot and take responsibility for the deaths. They also demanded permanent solutions to prevent such incidents in the future. The blockade continued until the Forest Minister agreed to visit the spot and provide compensation to the victims’ families.
Later, the government announced a compensation of Rs 20 lakh each to the families of the victims. The local MLA and DC handed over the cheques to the families. The protesters called off their agitation after receiving assurances from the authorities that action would be taken to capture the rogue elephants and provide employment to the families of the victims.
The locals also demanded action against the authorities for their alleged negligence in preventing elephant attacks. The area has witnessed several elephant attacks in recent months, resulting in the deaths of seven people in the Sringeri assembly constituency alone.
Regarding the incident, Udupi-Chikkamagaluru MP Kota Srinivasa Poojary said, “I request all not to panic. We have already taken up the issue with the central and state governments. I will meet the Chief Minister and discuss the issue. I will also take up the matter with the central government to provide more funds for the welfare of the people affected by the elephant menace”.
He further added that building an elephant enclosure is a permanent solution to the problem. The estimated cost for the enclosure would be around Rs 50-70 crore, covering approximately 2,000-3,000 acres. This would help in capturing and containing the elephants, thus preventing future attacks, he noted.
Meanwhile, a wild elephant rampaged through a populated area in Hassan district, causing concern among residents. The incident occurred at Halasulige village near Sakleshpur taluk, where a lone male elephant broke a railway gate and crossed the tracks late on Thursday night.
The elephant, reportedly searching for food, pushed the gate with its leg and broke it. A video of the incident, captured on a mobile phone, shows the massive elephant calmly walking away after breaking the gate.
