Bengaluru: A 65-year-old woman died after being attacked by a wild elephant at Choudahalli Village in Biccodu Hobli, Belur Taluk of Hassan District on Sunday afternoon, according to a preliminary situation report from the Department of Information and Public Relations.
Smt. Jayamma, wife of Sri Chikkayya, was reportedly grazing cattle in an abandoned agricultural field when she was attacked at around 3:30 PM. The location is a known elephant movement zone, and the Forest Department had issued advance public announcements during the morning and again around noon, warning villagers to avoid areas of elephant movement. The jurisdictional Range Forest Officer had also personally warned the deceased and her husband against entering the area.
Following the incident, personnel from the Forest Department, Revenue Department and Police Department, including the Elephant Task Force (ETF), were mobilised to the site. The Additional Superintendent of Police and two DySPs are reported to be managing the situation, with two DR vans deployed.
As per the latest information from the field, the situation remains sensitive, with local residents gathered at the location reportedly refusing to permit the body to be shifted for further statutory procedures. They have insisted that the District Minister and the local MLA visit the location before the body is released, and have indicated that elected representatives should arrive by around 8:00 AM on Monday.
The compensation cheque has also not yet been handed over to the family. The Deputy Commissioner has reportedly indicated that the cheque should be presented by the District Minister, while the Conservator of Forests had suggested the local MLA could present it to facilitate early disbursement. Repeated calls to the jurisdictional MLA have gone unanswered, though persons associated with the MLA have indicated a visit is expected the following morning.
Officials, including a forester and the jurisdictional Tahsildar, have reportedly faced verbal abuse from sections of the gathering amid growing local tension. As per the latest field information, the elephants involved are presently located in the Jabbur Forest area, approximately 2 km from the incident location, with Forest Department teams maintaining vigilance over their movement.
About the Author
