Date:20/07/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/07/20/stories/2008072052280300.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

Elephant kills man

Staff Reporter

BANGALORE: A 48-year-old farm labourer was killed on Friday night when an elephant attacked him at Ragihalli in Anekal taluk.

Villagers said Appayanna, the victim, was working in the farm where ragi and fruits were being grown. An elephant had been coming to the fields for the past fortnight and destroying standing crops.

Alarm

On Friday night, the elephant came to the fields again and brought down two coconut trees.

After the villagers raised an alarm, the elephant fled from the spot. Later, it appeared on the farm looked after by Appayanna.

The farm labourer, who was at the farmhouse, had kept crackers to drive away elephants.

On watching the animal devour a jack fruit, he burst crackers to frighten it.

Instead, the elephant charged at Appayanna and attacked him.

The victim, who suffered injuries on the head and back, died on the way to hospital, said Rajanna, former Ragihalli village panchayat chairman.

Meanwhile, the Forest Department has announced a compensation of Rs. 1.3 lakh to the next of kin of the deceased Appayanna.