Jumbos devour Anna Bhagya rice at godown

By Shyam Sundar Vattam | NT

Bengaluru: When Siddaramaiah conceived the Anna Bhagya scheme in 2013 after becoming CM, he had no intentions of including elephants too in the list of beneficiaries. But the jumbos hardly care, least of all when their tummies are empty and so a herd of hungry jumbos raided a government godown where Anna Bhagya rice was stored, had their fill from several sacks before disappearing into the darkness Thursday night.

The incident occurred at Anughatta Primary Agriculture Credit Co-operative Society in Belur taluk of Hassan district. Wild pachyderms are known to stray out of the forests in search of food and foliage during summers. The jumbo trouble, which was hitherto restricted to Alur in Sakleshpur taluk, has now spread to Belur if the jumbo attack on the godown is any indication.

Going by the CCTV footage, the herd after reaching the godown, knew exactly how to break the door and enter the godown. In the morning, society staff had the shock of their lives when they saw the torn rice sacks strewn everywhere. They first mistook it to be the handiwork of thieves and realised that jumbos were behind the grain heist only after checking the CCTV recording.

Forest and police officers soon reached the spot and a case has been registered. The DCC Bank Chief Executive Officer, Kumar has appealed to the state government for compensation.