Chikkamangaluru, 31 Oct

Two brothers, Harish, 42, and Umesh, 43, were killed in a tragic elephant attack on Friday morning in Kerekatte village of Sringeri taluk, Chikkamagaluru district, Karnataka.

According to eyewitnesses, Harish was attacked while collecting leaves for his cowshed, and Umesh was fatally mauled shortly after, when he went to check on a barking dog. The incident occurred within the Kudremukh National Park limits, under the Karkala forest division.

Police and forest officials visited the site to investigate, while local residents expressed anger over the Forest Department’s alleged negligence. Villagers claimed that repeated complaints about elephant incursions had been ignored.

In protest, several residents blocked the Tahsildar’s vehicle and confronted visiting officials, including District Collector Meena Nagaraj and Superintendent of Police Vikram Amate. Hundreds gathered on the main road, demanding immediate intervention from the Forest Minister and effective steps to prevent further attacks.

The tragedy has reignited concern over the growing human-wildlife conflict in the region, where elephant encounters have become increasingly frequent.

Gaur dies in transit at Bannerghatta Park

A female Indian gaur died on Friday during a capture and relocation operation at Bengaluru’s Bannerghatta Biological Park, officials said. The animal was being moved to a quarantine enclosure as part of an approved exchange with Hyderabad’s Nehru Zoological Park. The park stated that the procedure was carried out under the supervision of veterinary and forest officials, following due protocols.

Despite all precautions and veterinary assistance, the gaur died. A post-mortem is being conducted to determine the cause of death.