Two migrant workers dies of asphyxiation while hunting for porcupine

Chikkamagaluru: Two Tamil Nadu-based migrant workers died while killing a porcupine at Kalikattu gudda in Kalasa forest range in Chikkamagaluru district on Monday. According to officials four of the plantation workers had been to Kalikattu Gudda forest to hunt porcupine near a coffee plantation where they are working. The labourers on Sunday visited the area and found foot prints of porcupine and wild boar in a rock cave in forest.

On Monday Sharath (23) Vijay (21) Govinda Raj (24) and Babu (17) went for hunting. The duo put fire at the entrance of cave and waited with weapons for porcupine come of cave. But when the porcupine did not come out Govinda Raj and Sharath went inside the cave. But both started coughing due to smoke , unable to breathe. Govinda raj called Vijay , who went inside cave and brought back Govida raj. Again he went inside to bring Sharath who fell unconscious , Vijay also sustained breathing problem and fell unconscious.

The other two rushed to the Estate and informed their manager. The manager alerted Forest and police department, who rushed to spot. By that time both succumbed to asphyxiation. The police brought out bodies, shifted other two to district hospital , who is out of danger. '' Soon after receiving information I rushed to spot with my staff. The cave is about 30 feet deep , we managed to bring out two dead bodies'' Banakal police inspector Pavan Kumar told. A team of 20 workers migrated to coffee estate from Thiruvannamalai just five days ago for harvesting pepper in coffee estate. He said both deceased are brothers. 'We have informed parents of the deceased' he added.

'' We bring workers from other states as we facing shortage of labourers in harvest season, the team of 20 workers staying in our estate and working '' Estate manager Anil D Souza told . Every year workers are coming from other states and from north Karnataka region but this kind of incident never happened earlier. The wild boars and porcupine are destroying crops , pepper vines ,in estate he said.

'' The reserve forest has deer , rabbit and wildboars. Entering forest for hunting is offence '' Kalasa sub division ACF R Chetan Kumar told . He said while attempting to kill porcupine by putting fire it may spread to forest , people should take care about this .