Farmer killed in tusker attack in Maharashtra's Sindhudurg district

KOLHAPUR: A farmer who went to collect cashew nuts from his cashew farm was killed in a tusker (elephant) attack that took place at Morle village in Dodamarg tehsil of Sindhudurg district on Tuesday.

The deceased farmer was identified as Laxman Yashwant Gavas, aged 65. The mid-teen tusker, identified as 'Omkar' and also 'Barkya' by forest department officials, first threw the farmer with his trunk and then trampled him on his chest.

As soon as the information about this incident was received, the forest and police department personnel reached the village. However, the villagers from Morle took a stand that they would not take possession of the body until the tusker was trapped and relocated.

Finally, after eight hours, the villagers allowed the body to be taken for post-mortem as they did not want to mutilate the body. The vehicles of the forest department officials were also not allowed to enter the village. A tense situation between the forest department and villagers arose in the vicinity over the increased man-animal conflict.

However, no order has been issued yet regarding the elephant capture campaign. A forest department official from Dodamarg Range said, "A proposal was sent to the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) for trapping the tusker. A decision over this is expected anytime soon. Earlier in 2009 and 2015, a tusker capture campaign was conducted in Sindhudurg. The forest department will give a compensation of Rs 25 lakh to the family of the deceased. A cheque of Rs 10 lakh was immediately handed over to the family, whereas the remaining Rs 15 lakh will be given in a few days as per the law."