Siddapur: Hundreds of coffee planters and farmers staged a protest at Siddapur this morning demanding immediate action by the Forest Department to prevent wild elephant menace. They mobbed the Siddapur Police Station demanding a case be registered against the Department officials for preventing elephant menace. The protest was staged after a coffee planter was trampled by a wild elephant yesterday at Karadigodu near Siddapura. Kukkunoor Mohandas (68), a coffee grower, was trampled to death by an elephant herd in Karadigodu village limits yesterday. He came under the elephant herd attack while returning home after dropping a labourer in his estate.

Siddapur town observed a spontaneous bandh yesterday following his death. Residents alleged that estate labourers, school and college going children are living with fear in the affected areas. They blamed the State Government for its inaction in curbing the elephant menace. Over 75 people have died in the last 10 years and nearly 98 injured in the elephant attacks, with this year alone recording 12 deaths, they said.

This morning, hundreds of planters and residents assembled near the Siddapur private bus stand and headed straight to the Town Police Station, raising slogans. Picketing the Police Station, the residents demanded immediate action against the Forest officers. They insisted that the Police must book criminal cases against officers for gross negligence and inaction.

They alleged that State Forest Minister B. Ramanath Rai, who had convened a meeting of the elected representatives, coffee growers and affected people in June 2017 assuring the affected in the district of a solution, has not responded to their grievances.

The Minister, who spoke of quarterly meeting with all the stakeholders to ensure a viable solution has stayed away, without responding to their repeated pleas, protesters stated. The Government by releasing Rs.5 lakh compensation amount shies away from proceeding further, they alleged.

Yesterday, Forest officials delivered a cheque for Rs.2 lakh to the family of Kukkunoor Mohandas as compensation and assured of releasing the remaining amount of Rs.3 lakh at the earliest.

JD(S) District President Sanketh Poovaiah demanded compensation Rs.25 lakh to the family members of the deceased. Poovaiah said that criminal cases will be booked against officers as they are directly responsible for the deaths. Despite crores of rupees that have been released by the Government to curb elephant menace, officials are not utilising the money, he said.

Sanketh Poovaiah paid Rs.10,000 out of his personal capacity to Lakshmi, a resident of Maldare village as she was rendered handicap by a wild elephant three years ago. The Department failed to compensate Lakshmi though she was eligible for compensation, he said.