Wild jumbos claim 2 lives in Kolar

Two persons including a forest department staff lost their lives in the attack by wild elephant in Malur taluk on Monday.

The deceased have been identified as Gutta Muniyappa (48) a staff of Tamil Nadu forest department and Anand (38), an auto driver. The incident occurred when a joint team of Kolar district forest department and their Tamil Nadu counterparts was combing the area.

A herd of six wild elephants from TN had strayed into Elesandra village on the border of Malur taluk. The villagers burst crackers and raised their voice to drive away the jumbos. As a result of the commotion, the elephants took to heels. In the melee, a jumbo chased Gutta Muniyappa and flung him upwards with its truck. A seriously injured Muniyappa died on the way to district hospital.

The jumbos later trampled Anand, was watching the operation. He parked his vehicle on the road side and went to witness the operation when he was trampled to death.