Elephant Attack Kills Coffee Planter in Kodagu, Sparks Fear in Srimangala

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Virajpet: A 56-year-old coffee planter was killed in a wild elephant attack in Kodagu district early Wednesday morning, highlighting the continuing human-wildlife conflict in the region.

The deceased, Mokalamada Rathu, a resident of Kaiemani, was reportedly on his way to his coffee estate in Srimangala hobli of Ponnampet taluk when the incident occurred. According to local accounts, a wild elephant suddenly emerged and attacked him. He was rushed towards a hospital in Kutta, but succumbed to his injuries en route.

The incident has sparked panic among estate workers and residents, who say elephant movement in the area has increased in recent days. Locals pointed out that elephants have been camping in parts of Srimangala hobli for several days, particularly near the site of the attack. They have urged the Forest Department to take immediate action to drive the animals back into forest areas.

Frequent sightings of elephants in and around coffee estates have raised serious safety concerns among residents and workers, many of whom depend on early morning and late evening field work for their livelihood.

Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre expressed grief over the incident, terming the death “extremely distressing”. He said that while no compensation can make up for the loss of human life, the government stands firmly with the bereaved family.

Addressing the recurring conflict, the Minister noted that the State has proposed an ‘Elephant Reserve’ (Aane Dhama) as a long-term solution. However, the plan has faced delays due to pending approvals from the Centre. He added that efforts are underway to resolve these issues and push forward with the project to mitigate human-elephant conflict in vulnerable regions like Kodagu.

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