Estate worker trampled to death

NT Correspondent
Mysuru

In a worrisome pointer to increasing cases of man-animal conflict, an estate worker was trampled to death by a wild elephant at Konanakatte near Thithimathi in Kodagu district on Saturday. According to police, the deceased is Yarava Chama (48) of Dhanugala village.

Close on the heels of this incident, villagers and Raitha Sangha members assembled and demanded that the forest department nab the marauding jumbo. Chama was working as a daily wager in a coffee estate.

On Friday, he, along with his friend Siddappa attended a jathra in Periyapatna and were returning to Dhanugala village Saturday morning. When they saw the tusker crossing the road near Konanakatte, Siddappa, who was driving the twowheeler fled the scene. Chama was caught by the jumbo and trampled to death. The police have registered a case in this connection. Department officials have promised solatium to the family of the deceased.