Mysuru: Twin incidents of animal attacks — one involving a tiger in Mysuru district and another by an elephant in Chikkamagaluru — left three people dead on Friday, reigniting public outrage and concern over Karnataka’s wildlife management and conflict mitigation efforts.
Tiger kills villager near Bandipur
According to Prabhash Chandra Ray, Chief Wildlife Warden and Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife), a tiger killed Doddaningaiah, a 65-year-old villager from Kudagi, in the Moleyur range of Bandipur Tiger Reserve around noon on Friday. The incident occurred when the victim went to graze cattle near Kurnigala village, located on the periphery of the reserve.
Forest officials said the tiger attacked him suddenly, dragged his body into the forest, and left it in an elephant-proof trench. The remains were discovered later by local villagers, who alerted forest authorities.
This marks the third fatal tiger attack in the region within a span of just over two weeks. On October 16, a farmer was mauled by a tiger in Badagalapura under the Hediyala range of Bandipur. That animal was subsequently captured and shifted to Bannerghatta Biological Park. On October 26, another farmer lost his life in Mulluru Gram Panchayat in Saragur taluk — all incidents occurring within close proximity, indicating a worrying trend of increasing tiger movements around human settlements.
The latest killing has triggered fear and anger among local residents, who have demanded urgent intervention by the forest department to prevent further tragedies.
Elephant kills two in Sringeri taluk
In a separate incident, an elephant attack in the Kerekatte forest range under the Kudremukh Wildlife Division in Sringeri taluk claimed the lives of Umesh (43) and Harish (41) on Friday. The victims were reportedly collecting fodder on private farmland when the elephant suddenly charged at them, leaving both fatally injured.
Soon after the incident, Sringeri MLA T.D. Rajegowda, Deputy Commissioner Meena Nagaraj, and Superintendent of Police Vikram Amathe rushed to the spot to pacify the villagers, who staged a protest demanding the immediate presence of Forest Minister Eshwar B. Khandre. The angry crowd accused the department of negligence, citing repeated elephant attacks in the region without concrete preventive measures.
Villagers alleged that despite years of assurances, forest officials have failed to complete the relocation process of families living in areas prone to wildlife conflict. They also claimed delays in the disbursement of compensation to those willing to move out of forest zones.
Concerns over rehabilitation and compensation
Responding to the allegations, a senior forest officer clarified that of the 1,300 families identified for relocation from the Kudremukh National Park area, nearly 600 families had already been shifted to safer zones, while the remaining cases were in various stages of processing. However, villagers maintain that bureaucratic delays and inadequate support have left many families vulnerable to recurring wildlife threats.
Wildlife experts note that habitat fragmentation, shrinking forest corridors, and increased human activity near protected zones are key factors fuelling such conflicts. In regions like Bandipur and Kudremukh, rising animal populations combined with limited prey availability often push tigers and elephants closer to human habitations.
Growing public anger and official response
Friday’s twin tragedies have reignited the debate over human-wildlife coexistence in Karnataka. Environmentalists and conservationists have urged the government to strengthen early warning systems, expand compensation coverage, and accelerate the relocation of at-risk families.
Authorities from the Forest Department have confirmed that both incidents are under investigation. Special teams have been deployed in Bandipur to track tiger movements, while elephant squads are monitoring the Sringeri region to prevent further attacks.
Despite these measures, residents continue to express scepticism, citing a lack of long-term planning. Many feel that while conservation efforts for wildlife have strengthened in recent years, the safety and welfare of people living near forest boundaries remain inadequately addressed.
A recurring challenge
The latest deaths highlight a grim reality that Karnataka, home to some of India’s most biodiverse forest reserves, faces an increasingly delicate balance between conservation and community safety. With tiger populations rising in reserves like Bandipur and Nagarahole, and elephants frequently straying from corridors into farmlands, experts stress the need for sustained dialogue, scientific management, and improved communication between forest officials and local communities.
Until such measures are effectively implemented, residents in the state’s forest fringes continue to live under the shadow of fear — a stark reminder of the fragile coexistence between humans and wildlife in modern India.