Wild elephants tear down barbed wire fence around Arjuna’s burial site

HASSAN: Wild elephants have torn down a barbed wire fence erected around the site where Dasara elephant Arjuna was buried in the Dabballikatte forest range in Yeslur hobli of Sakleshpur taluk on Thursday night.

Dasara elephant Arjuna was laid to rest with full state honours in Sakleshpur taluk on Tuesday.

Dasara elephant Arjuna had died on December 4 during an operation to radio-collar wild elephants which were creating trouble in the villages around the area. After the last rites were conducted, a temporary barbed wire fence had been put up around the burial site.

The 11th day rituals were performed on Friday.

However, wild elephants have torn down the fencing and walked all around. Meanwhile, Forest Department officials and villagers from around Yeslur visited the burial site for the 11th day rituals on Friday and offered prayers to a portrait of Arjuna.

A grieving mahout Vinu is consoled by his parents.

Mahout Vinu, along with his family members, including his father Doddappaji and mother Chikkammanni visited the site and broke down. Vinu’s children also mourned the death of the elephant.