Wild elephant menace claims second life in four days
Chikkamagaluru: Tension gripped parts of Malenadu after yet another life was lost to wild elephant attacks in NR Pura taluk of Chikkamagaluru district. On Sunday morning, 65-year-old Subrayagowda was trampled to death near Anduvane village close to Balehonnur — marking the second fatality in just four days, following the death of 25-year-old Anitha on Thursday.
The incident has triggered widespread anger and unrest across the region, with local residents, political leaders, and farmer organisations staging intense protests against the forest department and the state government.On Saturday, as many as 25 elephants were reportedly spotted in the Moodigere-Belur forest border area, further fuelling panic. The forest department’s failure to prevent the increasing elephant movement into human settlements has become a flashpoint of rural dissent in Chikkamagaluru district.
Enraged by the repeated loss of human lives, locals in Balehonnur-Khandya region declared a complete bandh, with even private schools announcing a holiday. Protesters blocked the Chikkamagaluru-Sringeri state highway, leading to massive traffic congestion with vehicles stranded for kilometres.
Slogans condemning the Forest department and the government reverberated outside the forest office. Protesters have vowed to continue their agitation until Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre, Bengaluru Development Minister K.J. George, and elected MPs visit the area and address their demands.
In a dramatic escalation, protest organisers have even planned to place the deceased’s body outside the forest office to draw the government’s attention to the seriousness of the crisis. The protest gained wider support with leaders from across the political spectrum joining hands. MLA T.D. Rajegowda, former minister D.N. Jeevaraj, and JD(S) state vice president Sudhakar were among the many leaders seen standing in solidarity with the protestors. “This is no longer a forest issue; it’s a humanitarian crisis. We demand an immediate solution from the state government and permanent measures to prevent elephants from entering villages,” said one of the protest leaders.
Forest, Ecology and Environment Minister Eshwar Khandre expressed deep sorrow over the twin deaths caused by elephant attacks. “My heartfelt condolences to the families of the deceased. May God give them strength to bear this irreparable loss,” he said. Khandre promised that the state government would stand by the families and offer compensation as per norms. He also instructed forest officials to urgently begin efforts to capture rogue elephants and drive herds back into forest areas. Further, the minister urged citizens to exercise caution during dawn and dusk in areas with high elephant activity.
In a related incident, panic gripped school children at Boliyar near the Dharmasthala-Subrahmanya national highway when a wild elephant was spotted near a bus stop on Monday morning. The frightened children were seen running for safety as the animal passed by before retreating into the forest.
Over the past few weeks, elephant herds have been destroying crops in Boliyar, Nertane, and surrounding areas. Just two weeks ago, another man was killed by a wild elephant near Kokkada and Sautadka — raising serious questions about forest management in the Western Ghats.
