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A woman died and another person suffered injuries in an elephant attack in a coffee estate at Kelaguru near Aldur in Chikkamagaluru taluk on Saturday.
Saroja Bai, 50, a native of Harapanahalli in Ballari district, died on the spot after the elephant hit her. Another worker Duggappa suffered injuries. He has been admitted to a hospital in Chikkamagaluru.
The workers encountered the elephant around 10 am while they were working the estate, belonging to Hiregowdar. The lone elephant has been moving in the locality for the past few days. Saroja Bai is survived by her husband and a daughter. They had come from Harapanahalli to work in the estates.
Following the incident, local people and plantation workers staged a protest urging the State Government to resolve the issue of elephant menace permanently.
N.E.Kranthi, Deputy Conservator of Forests told The Hindu that this was the first death due to an elephant attack in the Chikkamagaluru division this year. Last year a person was killed. “It is an unfortunate incident. The department is taking measures to avoid such incidents. The government will pay a compensation of ₹ 7.5 lakh to the family”, he said.
The forest staff in the locality had been alerted to keep an eye on the movement of the elephant. “We have told the people in the area to be careful during the morning and evening hours”, the officer said.
Recently two plantation workers were killed in a similar incident near Arehalli in Belur taluk.
