Male jumbo shot dead, another dies of injuries in Mysuru

 A male elephant was shot dead in HD Kote taluk on Thursday, while a female jumbo was found dead under suspicious conditions in Hunsur taluk.

In a third such incident in 15 days, a male tusker was found dead with bullet injuries at Bommalapura in HD Kote. The elephant is said to be around 25 years of age and the carcass was found at a farm belonging to Puttalamma under the Sollepura forest region of HD Kote range.

The bullet injury has come as a shock to the Forest department, when it is already probing the previous suspicious deaths of two jumbos.

The forest personnel, who were on patrol on Thursday, found the elephant carcass and informed the higher officials. Range Forest Officer Basavaraju visited the spot.

A bullet injury was found on its head and later, veterinarian Dr Nagaraju, who conducted the postmortem, confirmed that the it was the cause of death.

It is said that the villagers keep a vigil at night to protect their crops from wild elephants.

But, they claimed that no one had stayed in the fields on Wednesday night.
Speaking to Deccan Herald, Basavaraju said they have clues about the suspect and an arrest would be made soon. The town police have registered a case.

In Hunsur

A 30-year-old female elephant was found dead under suspicious conditions at a farm in Konasanahalli in Hunsur taluk.

It is said that a herd of five elephants had strayed from the Nagarhole National Park into the village in search of food.

The villagers had tried to chase them away by bursting crackers. The jumbos are said to have run helter-skelter out of fear.

In the din and confusion the female elephant fell down and sustained injuries. The elephant died on the spot.

ACF Sripathi said, the reason for the death is yet to be ascertained. The elephant had suffered injuries on its trunk and had bled profusely. A case has been registered.