H.D. Kote:  Just a day after coffee planter Chokira Sudha Kuttappa was trampled to death by an elephant at Srimangala in Kodagu district on Friday, a 50-year-old man was gored to death by a wild tusker near Madapura in H.D. Kote taluk of Mysuru district this morning.

Hanumanthappa, a native of Kakkera in Raichur district is the deceased.

Hanumantappa was among a group of eight labourers from Raichur district who were engaged by a contractor for labour work at Kabini Canal close to Hyrige in the taluk, it is learnt.

Hanumanthappa was on his way to draw water from the Canal at about 7 am, when a wild elephant attacked him suddenly and trampled him to death.

H.D. Kote Police and Forest personnel visited the spot.

The Forest Officials suspect that one among the herd of elephants that is camping near Chikkanahalli may have strayed into Madapura and trampled Hanumanthappa to death.

Meanwhile, a herd of 30-40 elephants was spotted near Madapura yesterday, causing scare among people in nearby villages.

The villagers have urged the Forest Department to take immediate measures for chasing the elephants back to the forests, as their presence pose a big threat to their lives and standing crops grown in fields.