A planter was trampled to death by an elephant at Kelagavale village in Sakleshpur taluk of Hassan district in Karnataka on July 2. Krishne Gowda, 67, had been to his farm with his son and grandson when they encountered an elephant. The elephant trampled him to death while the two others fled from the spot.
The incident occurred when the Forest Department is engaged in an operation to capture and fix radio-collars on elephants in the area.
Two days ago, the department captured a makna, a male elephant with no tusks, and translocated the animal to a distant place after installing a radio-collar.
Attacks by elephants in parts of Belur, Alur and Sakleshpur taluks is causing resentment among people. They have been demanding capture of all elephants and relocating them.
Following the death of the planter, residents of Sakleshpur stopped vehicles on B.M. Road (NH 75) to express their anger. They were demanding that senior officers of the Forest Department and Hassan district administration visit the spot.
They alleged that the problem had worsened due to negligence of the Forest Department. The Forest Minister had not bothered to visit the place and understand the problems faced by the local people, they claimed.
