Elephant injured in fight with another at Dubare camp dies

MADIKERI: A day after a woman tourist, hailing from Tamil Nadu, was killed in a fight between two elephants at the Dubare elephant camp, the injured elephant Marthanda died on Tuesday. The Dubare elephant camp was closed on Tuesday and will remain shut until further orders.

The peaceful atmosphere at Dubare Elephant Camp in Kodagu turned into a battlefield in moments on Monday. In a fierce fight between two strong elephants, Kanjan and Marthanda, the latter died. The family of the woman who died, meanwhile, donated her eyes and the body was sent to Chennai on Monday itself.

A tragic chain of events at the famous Dubare Elephant Camp in Kodagu district has left tourists, forest officials and local residents in shock after a tourist woman lost her life during an elephant clash, followed by the death of one of the elephants involved in the incident.… https://t.co/Uhy6MGUNB4 pic.twitter.com/JEeBA4VnA3

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Marthanda had sustained injuries to the stomach, ear, and other parts and was being treated at the camp itself by Dr Mujib and other staff. Following, Marthanda’s death mahouts Ghouse and Naveen were seen grieving while Ghouse fainted and collapsed. The elephant Kanjan has been away from other elephants and was reportedly calm.

“The government has sought a preliminary report and we will submit it. Generally, five people are needed to maintain one elephant. This is an accidental tragedy. Thousands of people used to come daily; now there are none. Earlier too, people were right next to elephants, but no mishap occurred”, DCF Abhishek told Public TV.

For the past four days, Kanjan elephant had been trying to mate with the elephant Hemavathi, but mahout Kiran had prevented Kanjan elephant. Yesterday, Kanjan elephant went near after seeing Hemavathi elephant. At that time, mahout Kiran drove Kanjan back. While retreating, Kanjan fought with Marthanda in frustration.

Famously known as ‘Akki Kalla’ (Rice Thief) of Sakleshpur in Hassan, the gentle-natured Marthanda had a dramatic history of being captured by the Forest Department twice. Marthanda had been participating in Forest Department work as a trained elephant in the camp. Its death deep grief among elephant lovers and Forest Department staff.

It wasn’t easy for the Forest Department to capture Marthanda. Originally roaming in the Sakleshpur forest range of Hassan district, he was notorious among locals as the ‘Rice Thief’. He had made it a habit to enter human settlements, break shop doors, and eat rice. Because of this, Marthanda was captured for the first time in an operation in 2021.

After his first capture, Marthanda was fitted with a radio collar and released in the Bandipur forest area. But unable to forget the taste of his favorite rice, Marthanda walked for a full 15 days through forest routes and returned to Sakleshpur. When he again started breaking into shops and eating rice, a second major operation was conducted out of necessity, and he was captured and sent to Dubare camp.

After coming to Dubare camp, Marthanda had transformed into a very gentle elephant. Obeying mahouts and kavadis, he had become the camp’s favorite elephant.

Kanjan is a 26-year-old male elephant and has participated in Dasara for the last three years. Kanjan is calm-natured and obeys the kavadis’ commands. The elephant is being raised under the care of mahout Vijay and kavadi Kiran. It was captured in 2014 in the forest near Yasalur in Hassan district and trained at Dubare elephant camp.

Last year, there was a fight between Dhananjaya and Kanjan elephants over food. Dhananjaya elephant had chased Kanjan elephant. Later, Kanjan had walked calmly during the Dasara procession.