H.D. Kote:  A wild tusker nicknamed ‘Bakra’ by villagers frequently found roaming at Antarasanthe, Metikuppe and Belleguppi villages, was found dead after it fell into an elephant trench at Dammanakatte Haadi in H.D. Kote taluk yesterday.

As the tusker fell into the trench, its tusks got embedded into mud and it could neither  move its head nor its legs as they were trapped inside the trench which was filled with slush, said a resident of Dammanakatte.

Forest officials said that the elephant could have died of heart attack due to trauma of falling. Later, the Department personnel, with the help of a backhoe (JCB), managed to remove the carcass of the elephant from the trench. The body was dragged out and later cremated. Hundreds of villagers had gathered.