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Wild elephant kills 2 people in Karnataka, triggers protests
Narayana Shetty, a Renjilady resident, accused the forest department of negligence and said there have been continuous elephant attacks in the area
A wild elephant killed two people at Renjilady in Karnataka’s Dakshina Kannada district on Monday and triggered protests. Officials said Ranjitha, 21, was on her way to work around 6.30am when the elephant attacked her. Ramesh Rai, who came to her rescue, was also trampled to death.
Narayana Shetty, a Renjilady resident, accused the forest department of negligence and said there have been continuous elephant attacks in the area. “We complained many times but the department did not take action.”
He said wild elephants have been destroying crops in the area. “...this is the first time that an elephant killed humans in Renjilady village. Unless the forest department takes effective action to prevent the entry of wild elephants into villages, such incidents will continue.”
Deputy conservator of forests Y K Dinesh Kumar said they have requested higher authorities to send a team for the translocation of the wild elephants. “It will begin from Tuesday.” He added forest officials were in the village for the purpose.
