Beluru / Ponnampet / Saragur: In separate incidents, a youth and two women were killed in elephant attacks at Geddahalla village in Saragur taluk, one woman in Balaji village in Ponnampet taluk and another woman in Bellavara village in Belur taluk, Hassan.

At Bellavara: A woman, who had gone to the forest border in search of her cattle, was killed when a wild elephant attacked her yesterday morning.

The deceased is Dyavamma (62), a resident of Kanaguppe village. As Dyavamma did not return home, her family members went in search of her only to find her body among the bushes at Bellavara. Villagers said that her body bore marks of elephant attack and staged a protest.

Range Forest Officer (RFO) B.J. Yatish, District/ Divisional Forest Officer Sourabh Kumar and Chief Conservator of Forests (CCF) Yedukondalu visited the spot and handed over a compensation cheque for Rs. 15 lakh to the deceased Dyavamma’s family members.

At Saragur, Mysuru District: A youth, who had gone to his agri field to water the crops was killed when a wild elephant attacked him at Geddahalla village near Kandegala in N. Begur Forest range coming under Bandipur Reserve Forest yesterday morning. The deceased youth is Avinash (23), son of Huchchanayaka of Geddahalla village.

Avinash was watering the crops yesterday early morning when the wild elephant attacked him suddenly, killing him on the spot. Farmers in the neighbouring agri fields, who saw the wild elephant attacking Avinash, screamed for help resulting in the elephant fleeing into the forest. The villagers then informed N. Begur Range Forest Officers who reached the spot and conducted inspection.

Meanwhile, villagers alleging that there was no protection to them staged a protest against the Forest Department and demanded the Forest Officers to prevent wild animals from entering human habitat.

Former MLA Beechanahalli Chikkanna, who calmed the villagers, spoke to Conservator of Forests (CF) Prabhakaran and Assistant CF Satish and asked them to protect the villagers from wild animals besides urging them to prevent wild animals from destroying the crops. He also demanded adequate compensation be given to deceased Avinash’s family members and a job to one of the family members.

Meanwhile, the Forest officials handed over a compensation cheque of Rs. 15 lakh to Avinash’s family members and assured of providing Rs. 4,000 per month for five years and a job to one family member after discussing the same with their higher authorities. Later, post-mortem was conducted and the body was handed over to the family members.

At Balaji village near Gonikoppa: A woman, who was working in a coffee estate, was killed when an elephant attacked her in the coffee estate at Balaji, Mayamudi Gram Panchayat limits in Ponnampet taluk of Kodagu district yesterday.

The deceased is Janaki (52), of Balaji village. She was working in the coffee estate of Maneyapanda Cariappa at about 4 pm yesterday, when the wild elephant attacked her injuring her seriously on her head. Janaki succumbed to injuries on the spot.

Thithimathi Assistant Conservator of Forests (ACF) Gopal visited the spot and the body was shifted to Gonikoppa Community Health Centre mortuary, where post-mortem was conducted and the body was handed over to the family members.