Woman killed in wild elephant attack in Hassan, villagers stage protest demanding permanent solution

Hassan: A 40-year-old woman was killed in a wild elephant attack in Mogali village of Sakleshpur taluk in Hassan district, once again highlighting the escalating human–elephant conflict in the region. The deceased has been identified as Shobha, a daily wage labourer, whose death has triggered anger and protests among local residents.

According to officials, the incident occurred early Tuesday morning when Rajamma, along with her daughters Shobha and Ragini, had gone to a coffee plantation for lime-coating work. While they were engaged in work, a wild elephant suddenly emerged from the forest and charged at them. Though all three attempted to flee, the elephant chased Shobha, trampled her and killed her on the spot. Forest department officials rushed to the location soon after receiving information about the incident.

Following the death, enraged villagers refused to allow the body to be shifted for post-mortem and staged a sit-in protest at the spot. They accused the forest department of negligence and held it responsible for the recurring tragedies. Protesters alleged that officials had failed to provide prior alerts about elephant movement, had not taken steps to capture rogue elephants and had neglected to fit radio collars to track their movement, despite repeated demands.

The protest intensified with villagers demanding a permanent solution rather than temporary compensation. “We don’t want compensation alone. We want our lives secured,” villagers asserted, expressing deep frustration over repeated attacks in the area.

Local MLA Cement Manju, former MLA HK Kumaraswamy, and DFO Saurabh Kumar visited the spot and consoled the bereaved family. However, villagers continued to express dissatisfaction with assurances given by officials. They reiterated that human lives were being lost while authorities failed to implement long-term preventive measures.

As the protest escalated, Hassan Deputy Commissioner Lata Kumari arrived at the scene and held discussions with villagers. Under the leadership of MLA Cement Manju, protesters demanded ₹50 lakh compensation for the deceased woman’s family and concrete steps to permanently address the menace of wild elephants. The Deputy Commissioner assured the gathering that necessary measures would be taken and attempted to persuade them to withdraw the protest.

Hassan district has witnessed a steady rise in wild elephant attacks over the past few years, leading to the deaths of several innocent villagers. The repeated incidents have fueled fear and resentment among residents, who are now demanding urgent and effective intervention from the government to prevent further loss of life and ensure lasting solutions to the human–wildlife conflict.