A 48-year-old laborer from a village in the Virajpet district of Kodagu, Karnataka state in India died in an elephant attack, officials confirmed.
Mollera Rathna, who worked on a coffee estate, was reportedly trampled by the elephant while on her way to buy provisions for her home.
Virajpet Deputy Conservator of Forests Sharana Basappa said the incident occurred around 6.40 p.m. on Wednesday, January 24, 2024.
Basappa suggested the elephant might have originated from either the Dubare or Chennangi reserve forests.
Following the incident, the victim’s family was compensated with a check for approximately $20,000 and promised a monthly pension of around $49 for the next five years.
Due to the incident, proposals have been made to the state government to erect a railway barricade fence to prevent such incidents.
The tragedy has sparked widespread anger among local villagers, who blame the forest officials for their alleged negligence.
There are claims of numerous unheeded calls made to forest officials, warning about elephant activities near human habitats.
B N Bopaiah, a local coffee grower, highlighted the ongoing destruction of crops by wild elephants and the insufficient response from forest officials.
He emphasized the need for a lasting solution to prevent elephants from entering human areas, stating that the absence of such measures could lead to more human and elephant fatalities.
Responding to the incident, Virajpet Member of the Legislative Assembly A S Ponnanna visited the deceased’s family and offered condolences.
Ponnanna instructed forest officials to conduct immediate elephant operations in the area to prevent similar occurrences in the future. He assured villagers of implementing stringent measures to enhance resident safety and prevent further elephant attacks.
The balance between maintaining wildlife habitats and protecting human lives and property is a significant challenge.
This incident is not an isolated case in the region. In recent times, there have been several reports of human casualties and property destruction due to elephant attacks.