As many as 14 people have been killed by elephants in Karnataka since January. Six of these deaths occurred around Bangalore. In 2011, the state had witnessed 14 deaths due to elephants in various parts of the state.
A close look reveals that most deaths occurred during early morning or late evening. This has prompted the Forest Department officials to issue an advisory for people in elephant zones not to venture out during those time as the animals come out in search of food. Last week, an autorickshaw driver was trampled to death by a wild pachyderm while he and another person were walking on a road leading to a forest in Sakleshpur taluk of Hassan district after their two-wheeler ran out of petrol. It was dark, when a wild elephant attacked them from behind. While one person managed to escape, the other was trampled to death.
Of the 14 deaths reported so far, three each are from Bangalore Circle (comprising Ramnagar, Kanakpur and Sathanur) and from Bannerghatta National Park. The rest are from: Hassan-2, Kodagu-2, Nagarhole Project Tiger Range-2, Mandya-1 and Chamarajanagar-1.
The department has identified Kanakapura, Sathanur, Bannerghatta, Harohalli, Anekal, Maddur, Alur, Sakleshpur and Kollegar as elephant range. In these places, elephants stray out of forests in search of food, foliage and water after dark. The jumbos are shy and wry of people. A lone tusker can be quite dangerous, said Ajay Mishra, CCF, Project Elephant.