Madikeri: The death of a 19-year-old girl, Pujya, triggered public outrage on Monday, as angry villagers staged a road blockade on the Madikeri–Mangaluru national highway. The girl was trampled to death by a wild elephant in Bettathur village, near Madenadu.Villagers and local leaders accused the forest department of negligence and of failing to prevent repeated elephant-related incidents in the area.Former speaker KG Bopaiah, who joined the protest, criticised the handling of compensation, stating it was improper to issue a compensation cheque to the family without the forest officials’ signature, calling it evidence of departmental irresponsibility. Protesters demanded that the chief conservator of forests (CCF) (Kodagu Circle) visit the spot and pressed for immediate action to address an ongoing threat from a lone elephant roaming in Bettathur region.The highway was blocked for about one hour as demonstrators insisted on the CCF’s presence and concrete steps to capture the animal. The CCF, Sonal arrived at the protest site and assured the protestors that a team was deployed to capture the elephant. Following which, the protest was withdrawn.District BJP spokesperson Talur Kishore Kumar, Kimmudira Jagadish, Anand Bettathur, and leaders of farmers associations were present.Meanwhile, Mysuru MP Yaduveer Wadiyar visited, and offered condolences to the bereaved family. Former MLA Appachu Ranjan, accompanied by district BJP president Napanda Ravi Kalappa, also met the family.Chief minister’s legal advisor and Virajpet MLA AS Ponnanna met the victim’s family and old them the govt would provide due compensation. He also instructed the forest department officials to capture the elephant, and added that the matter was discussed with the forest minister. Authorities deployed thermal drones to locate the elephant, with operations continuing through the night.
