Karnataka: Woman injured in elephant attack in Ramanagara district

The injured woman has been shifted to Victoria Hospital in Bengaluru after giving her initial treatment at Kanakapura taluk government hospital

A woma was injured in a wild elephant attack at Baradanahalli village in Kanakapura taluk of Ramanagara district on Monday, forest officials said.

An elephant from a herd attacked the 35-year-old wan while she was going to her agricultural field in Ramanagara district. (HT Archives (For representation))

“The incident occurred in the morning around 7am to 7.30 am when the woman, Dundamma, aged 35, was going to her agriculture field,” Ramanagara deuputy conservator of forests (DCF) Ramakrishnappa told HT. “A herd of three elephants came from Bannerghatta National Park in search of fodder in the village and was returning to the forests when Dundamma came face to face with the animals. An elephant from the herd attacked her,” he said.

In the elephant attack, the 35-year-old woman sustained severe injuries, including a broken left arm, the official said.

The injured woman has been shifted to Victoria Hospital in Bengaluru after giving her initial treatment at Kanakapura taluk government hospital. “We are providing medical treatment and will bear the full cost,” the DCF said.

Soon after the incident, forest officers along with staff visited the spot. Officials have said compensation will be provided to the woman.

The officials have been pressed into service to drive the elephants away into the deep forest. Ramakrishnappa said, “We have sent a proposal to the state government to construct a railway barricade fence to prevent wild elephants’ entry into human habitats and are waiting for funds. The government would pay ₹10 lakh for fully disabled in wild animal attacks and ₹5 lakh for partial disability.”

This incident follows a series of animal attacks, highlighting the escalating human-wildlife conflict in the region. On December 27, Chandranna, a resident of Bannimukkollu village in Kanakapura taluk, was fatally attacked by an elephant while collecting firewood in the forest. Earlier, on December 17, 2023, Thimmaiah, a farmer from Anekere Doddi village in the same taluk, trampled to death by an elephant.

On June 3, a farmer from Kabbalu village died in a jumbo attack. On June 19, two people were killed in an attack by a rogue elephant, according to forest officials

.