Human-elephant conflict is no new phenomenon in villages of Sakleshpur, Alur, and Belur taluks. But these days, herds are spotted closer to human habitation than ever, say the villagers. A tusker is sometimes spotted taking a stroll in the middle of the street in broad daylight, or a herd is seen moving from one farm to another.
Parents remain worried until their children return home after school hours and plantation workers are worried about their safety as they cannot spot an elephant amidst thick greenery.
Earlier this month, a plantation worker in Ballupete was trampled to death by an elephant. The next day, a woman came under the attack and suffered serious injuries. In March this year, two workers in a coffee estate at Kadegarje died in a similar attack.
