HASSAN: Elephant Task Force (ETF) personnel reportedly made a narrow escape from an elephant attack near Mattur village in Sakleshpur taluk on Tuesday. The incident unfolded as Youvaraj and Prasanna, ETF staff, were riding separately on a motorcycle to monitor the movement of elephants that frequently trigger panic among residents and stray into human settlements, following complaints lodged by villagers.
At around 6.30 am, an elephant was suddenly sighted at close range and immediately charged towards them. In response, the alert staff sprang from the vehicle and managed to flee, leaving their motorcycles behind. The elephant then moved in and smashed both motorcycles lying on the ground. While escaping, Youvaraj and Prasanna sustained minor injuries.
Villagers alleged that the forest department has failed to effectively curb the escalating elephant menace. They urged urgent action, saying the time has come to implement concrete measures to prevent further incidents.
Speaking to TNIE, Mohan Kumar, a farmer, called on the authorities to ensure adequate protection and support for ETF personnel, who are deployed to gather information after tracking elephant movement. He also demanded that the department provide full-fledged vehicles and necessary assistance to improve field response.
The farmer noted that elephants venture into human habitats in search of food, heightening the risk to nearby communities. Senior forest officials, led by DFO Sourab Kumar, visited the site. Following the inspection, the villagers assured officials that efforts would be made to prevent elephants from entering human areas in the future.
JUMBOS CHARGE AT FOREST JEEP IN BANDIPUR, DRIVER ESCAPES UNHURT
Mysuru: In a fresh incident highlighting the ongoing man–animal conflict in the Bandipur region, a herd of wild elephants that strayed out of the forest in search of food damaged a Forest Department jeep in Sargur taluk. The driver narrowly escaped unhurt.
The latest incident comes amid growing concerns over wildlife movement in the region, including frequent tiger sightings that have already heightened tensions. With elephants now adding to the threat, locals have renewed their demand for the closure of safari operations, arguing that increased human activity may be disturbing animal movement patterns.
According to forest officials, the elephants had ventured out of the forest and were being driven back when they charged at a department vehicle near the fish seed production centre at the Nugu reservoir.