Bengaluru: A morning walker was killed by a wild elephant at Anchepalya, behind Rajarajeshwari Hospital on Mysuru Road, in the early hours of Monday. The victim, 60-year-old Nagaraj, was a daily-wage labourer. While elephant attacks are common in the far interior pockets of south Bengaluru, this is the first time an elephant has come into conflict with humans so close to the city, according to forest officials.The incident is believed to have occurred around 5.30am. Locals said Nagaraj was out on his routine morning walk when the elephant charged at him, lifted him with its trunk and hurled him to the ground. The elephant then stepped on him and moved aside.Alert locals rushed Nagaraj to Rajarajeshwari Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries. Residents also alleged that the elephant damaged two compound walls in the vicinity. Interestingly, CCTV footage showed a morning jogger escaping the elephant by a whisker on the same stretch.Following the incident, the forest department launched a special operation to track, trace and capture the elephant, which had strayed nearly 5km outside the forest area. Meanwhile, angry over what they alleged was inaction and negligence by the forest department, Nagaraj’s kin and local villagers staged a protest on the hospital premises, demanding immediate action against those responsible and compensation for the bereaved family. The protesters also insisted that the forest minister, Ramalinga Reddy, visit the spot.Reddy visited the hospital and consoled the bereaved family. “Elephants frequently move towards BM Kaval area from Bannerghatta National Park. In fact, their movement has increased in the vicinity after a new road was constructed in the region… Our staff were present in the area until 1am last night. We did not expect the elephant to enter a populated area,” Reddy said.He added that forest department personnel had been issuing warnings to people about elephant movement and that special surveillance would now be intensified. He also presented a compensation of Rs 20 lakh to the kin of the deceased.The department has launched a special operation to locate and capture the elephant. Y Chakrapani, deputy conservator of forests, Bengaluru Urban, said, “The male elephant, aged 25-30 years and without tusks, had come from the Bannerghatta forest area and its current location is identified in the BM Kaval area.”Officials said efforts would be made to ensure the animal does not move further out of Bannerghatta range. Besides taking up drone-assisted search operations, the department has decided to bring in four trained elephants from Dubare elephant camp in Kodagu to assist with the capture operation. They are expected to arrive Tuesday morning.
