Bangalore: Rogue elephant snuffs out journalist's life

Daijiworld Media Network – Bangalore (SP)

Bangalore, Jun 24: A herd of elephants, which entered Karnataka side of the forest from Tamil Nadu and claimed three lives at Malur on Saturday, killed a journalist in Hoskote taluk on Sunday June 23 afternoon.

The herd was seen at the yard surrounding Orohalli village lake on Sunday morning. A journalist named Manjunath, working for ‘Vijay Vani’ Kannada daily, lost his life while trying to photograph the elephants.

Manjunath, along with three of his friends, had visited the lake area, after coming to know that elephants were spotted there. When he was clicking photographs of the elephants from close quarters, one of the elephants, perhaps feeling disturbed by their presence, left the herd and came running in the direction of the youngsters.

While the other three accompanying Manjunath ran to safety, Manjunath continued to shoot pictures of the elephants by remaining there. The rogue elephant lifted Manjunath by its trunk, threw him to the ground, and crushed him with its foot, killing him on the spot, it is learnt.

Karnataka chief minister, Siddaramaiah, has announced a compensation of five lac rupees each to the families of four persons killed so far by the elephants.