BENGALURU: A trip to a resort by a group of friends turned tragic when a 52-year old businessman from Bengaluru was killed by a tusker. The deceased, Narendra Shinde, was a resident of Rajarajeshwari Nagar. While 10 friends, who were with him, claimed that he was relieving himself when the elephant attacked and killed him, forest officials disputed it.
They said Shinde was trying to take a photo/selfie with the elephant after getting out of a car when the animal charged at him.
The incident occurred around 1.30 am on Monday at Basavanabetta in the Kanakapura Wildlife Sanctuary near Karabagere tank. Shinde and his 10 friends were returning from a farmhouse in three cars through the forest patch between Soligere and Harihara villages where the elephant killed him.
Jumbo attack: Probe confirms selfie attempt
Forest officials said that the spot inspection and investigation revealed that Shinde got out of the vehicle to take a photograph/selfie with the tusker near a water body. When Shinde faced away from the elephant to take the selfie, it charged at him and the tusks hit is hip and back. Unable to run to save his life, he fell into the waterbody and died, they said.
His friends, with the help of the local residents, fished out the body and took it back to Bengaluru, which was noticed by forest guards at the gate. Ramanagara Deputy Conservator of Forests M Ramakrishnappa said the spot inspection also revealed blood stains around the tank.
The distance between the tank and the road where the car was parked is around 50 metre. Forest officials said Shinde had no way of escaping when the elephant charged at him with his back to the animal. He would have died within 3-5 seconds, they added. Ramakrishnappa said this is the first such incident recorded in this forest patch.
