Chikkamagaluru (Karnataka): Forest officials of Mudigere taluk of Karnataka on Sunday captured a trouble-causing tusker 'Bhyra' with the help of tamed elephants. Tusker Bhyra had been creating havoc in the region, along with other elephants, for the last four to five months.
Bhyra had killed two persons in the last two months following which the BJP MLA MP Kumaraswamy had come to pay condolences to the family of a woman, who was killed by the tusker. Meanwhile, people, who were present at the house of the deceased, attacked the BJP MLA in a fit of rage for curbing the elephant menace.
Wild elephant 'Bhyra' captured in Mudigere taluk of Karnataka Following this, the forest department and Chief Minister Basavaraja Bommai ordered to capture of the rogue elephant. The operation was launched by the authorities eight days ago to capture three wild elephants with the help of six tamed elephants. Forest officials had to visit nearby villages in the region and make announcements through mikes. This was the second attempt by the authorities to catch the lone tusker. The Bhyra was spotted near Urubage-Hosahalli on Sunday. The Forest Department staff followed the elephant and succeeded in capturing the tusker.
It may be recalled that two months ago about six tamed elephants were brought to catch 'Bhyra'. The lone tusker had gone deep inside the jungle. After carrying out the operation for three days the operation was halted following the tamed elephants developing fever and stomach ache. A meeting chaired by Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Sunday decided to double the solatium for death due to the wild elephants' attack, hiking it from Rs 7.5 lakh to Rs 15 lakh.
According to a statement by the Chief Minister's office, the meeting was attended by Excise and Hassan District-in-charge Minister K Gopalaiah and other senior officials from the Forest Department. For permanent disability due to elephant attack, the meeting decided to pay a compensation of Rs 10 lakh increasing it from the present Rs 5 Lakh, for partial disability from Rs 2.5 lakh to Rs 5 lakh, and for injuries from Rs 30,000 to Rs 60,000.
Regarding damage to property, it was decided to hike the competition from Rs 10,000 to Rs 20,000, while the monthly pension for permanently disabled persons has been increased from Rs 2,000 to Rs 4,000. Even the amount paid for the crop damage will be doubled, the statement said.
It further stated permission was granted to capture eight elephants, which were creating havoc in the Sakleshpur-Belur area, and to radio collar the captured tuskers in order to keep tabs on them. Already, 23 wild elephants have been radio-collared to keep a watch on their movements.
