A farmer was killed by a wild elephant which was foraging outside the forest boundaries in the Veeranhosahalli range of Nagarahole Tiger Reserve in Karnataka triggering protests by the local community.
The incident took place at Kolavige village in Hunsur taluk late February 2 night about 1 km from the forest boundary. The victim, Rajesh, 49, had gone out to pick up fodder for his cattle when an elephant, which had strayed out of the forest, attacked and trampled him.
A large number of villagers gathered on February 3 morning and demanded compensation besides measures to end human-animal conflict on the fringes of the forest.
Tension prevailed in the village as the local community raised slogans against the authorities and demanded the presence of senior officials of the Forest Department.
Officials, including the range forest officer and his team, reached the spot and tried to address the concerns of the villagers.
Sources in the Forest Department said conflicts in Kolavige and surrounding areas had drastically reduced in the last few years following the installation of a rail track fence to prevent elephants from entering villages. Besides, a solar fence too is functional. Hence, officials have to ascertain how and from where the elephant crossed over from the forest to human habitation, and plug the gap, if there was any.
Authorities said ₹2.5 lakh will be released to the family of the deceased while an additional ₹5.5 lakh will be released as ex-gratia after completion of the formalities.
