Siddapur: A coffee grower was trampled to death by an elephant herd in Karadigodu village limits of the district on January 22.
Kukkunoor Mohandas (68) is the deceased. He came under the elephant herd attack, while returning home after dropping a labourer in his estate.
Siddapur town observed a spontaneous bandh following his death. Estate labourers, school and college going children are trembling with fear in the affected areas, said the protesting people and blamed the state government for its inaction in curbing the elephant menace. Over 75 people have died in the last 10 years and nearly 98 injured in the elephant attacks, with this year alone recording 12 deaths, they said.
State Forest Minister B Ramanath Rai, who convened a meeting of the elected representatives, coffee growers and affected people in June 2017 assuring the affected in the district of a solution, has not responded to their grievances, protestors alleged. The minister who spoke of quarterly meeting with the all the stakeholders to ensure a viable solution has stayed away, without responding to their repeated pleas, protestors stated. The government by releasing Rs 5 Lakh compensation amount shies away from proceeding further, they alleged.
JDS District President Sanketh Poovaiah demanded a compensation Rs 25 Lakh to the family members of the deceased.
Virajpet MLA K G Bopaiah, District Congress President Shivu Madappa, Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Maria Christaraj, Assistant Conservator of Forests (ACF) Roshni and others visited the spot, where Mohandas was trampled by the elephant herd.
Forest officials delivered a cheque for Rs 2 Lakh to the family of the deceased as compensation and assured of releasing the remaining amount of Rs 3 Lakh at the earliest.
Mohandas is survived by wife and 3 daughters.
