An operation to capture a wild elephant ended after it died falling into a 32-foot deep cement pit in Athur Nallur of Kushalnagar taluk on Friday.
The 20-year-old male elephant had recently attacked farmers in and around the village and a man had died in the attack.
Deputy Conservator of Forests, Elephant Task Force, Poovaiah said that the elephant began to run after it was tranquilised, and accidentally fell into the pit. He said that the jumbo had sight in its right eye and could not notice the pit. “The post-mortem was conducted at Meenukolli and viscera will be sent to Forensic Science Laboratory for testing,” he added.
Electrocuted
A 30-year-old female elephant was electrocuted after coming into contact with a live wire of a fence, on agricultural land at Doddabaragi village, under Bandipur Tiger Reserve. Forest department officials have registered a case against the landowner.