2 killed in 5 days after elephant attacks in Karnataka’s Chikkamagaluru, protests erupt: Report

Balehonnur residents in Karnataka staged a bandh, demanding government action against rising human-wildlife conflicts after two fatal elephant attacks.

Tension gripped Balehonnur in Karnataka’s Chikkamagaluru district on Monday as locals observed a complete bandh, demanding swift action from the state government to tackle the rising threat of human-wildlife conflict.

The protests were triggered by two fatal elephant attacks in the region over the past five days. (Representational Image)

The protests were triggered by two fatal elephant attacks in the region over the past five days.

According to a report by The Indian Express, the latest victim was 64-year-old farmer Sabraya Gowda, who was trampled to death on Sunday evening at Andavane Jagara village under the Huyigere grama panchayat. Forest sources cited in the report said that the elephant had wandered into a plantation and come into contact with an electric fence.

Gowda reportedly approached the site after hearing the animal’s distress calls, only to be fatally attacked, the report added.

Just days earlier, on July 23, a woman named Anitha from Honnalli in Davanagere district lost her life in a similar incident. Employed at a coffee estate near Balehonnur, Anitha was heading toward the workers’ colony when she encountered the elephant. She was rushed to a hospital but succumbed to her injuries en route, IE noted.

Monday’s bandh saw participation from several farmer groups and local residents who called for increased protection measures, including the capture of elephants frequently entering human habitats. Protesters accused the authorities of failing to act despite recurring incidents in the region.

Minister responds

In response, Karnataka’s Minister for Forest, Ecology and Environment, Eshwar Khandre, offered his condolences to the victims’ families and promised compensation. He also said that instructions had been issued to forest officials to capture the elephants responsible for the attacks.

Forest department data, as reported by The Indian Express, shows a disturbing trend: over the past five years, 254 people in Karnataka have died due to wild animal attacks. In just the past two years, 2024 and 2025, 42 such deaths have already occurred. Elephants, along with tigers and leopards, account for nearly 70% of these fatalities.