Karnataka: Coffee plantation worker injured in jumbo attack

Mudigere, Chikkamagaluru district: A worker at a coffee plantation at G Hosahalli near Gonibeedu sustained serious injuries after she was attacked by a wild elephant on Monday.

Guruvamma was picking coffee seeds at the plantation around 9 am, when she was attacked by the elephant. Other workers raised a huge din, which frightened the jumbo and it fled. Guruvamma, meanwhile, sustained injuries to her chest and waist and was admitted to a hospital in Mudigere.

On learning of the incident, neighbouring estates in G Hosahalli, Kaskebail, Kallugudda, Salumara and Hosapura declared a holiday for their workers.

Residents of these villages are anxious about stepping out of their homes for fear of being set upon by wild elephants that are prowling the area.

The villagers have appealed to the forest department to take steps to release the elephants into the wild lest tragedy occur.