In Hassan district on Thursday, August 31, a tragic incident unfolded as a wild injured elephant lashed out at a Forest Department team dispatched to administer treatment, resulting in the unfortunate death of a forest officer.
This heartbreaking occurrence transpired in the forests near Halliyuru, situated in Alur taluk within Hassan. The forest officer who lost his life in this incident was H.H. Venkatesh, aged 67.
Venkatesh had previously served as a forest guard and, upon retirement, continued to contribute his expertise by working through an outsourcing firm. He was widely recognized for his proficiency in administering tranquilizers to elephants, earning him the moniker “Aane (elephant) Venkatesh.”
The injured elephant in question, named Bheema, required medical attention, prompting the Forest Department to mobilize a team for the task. Among them were veterinarian and expert Vaseem, as well as Venkatesh. Tragically, when Venkatesh approached the elephant to administer the tranquilizer, the animal became agitated and launched a ferocious attack. It used its trunk to lift Venkatesh and fling him away.
