(IN) journalist trampled to death by elephant herd

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Source: The Hindu

(http://www.hinduonnet.com/2007/10/20/stories/2007102062411400.htm)

 

Andhra Pradesh

 

Journalist trampled to death by elephant herd

 

Special Correspondent

 

Three other reporters have a narrow escape

 

SRIKAKULAM: A herd of wild elephants on the rampage in the forest areas

of Srikakulam and Vizianagaram districts claimed yet another victim,

this time a reporter working for a Telugu daily, on Friday.

K. Nagaraju of Andhra Prabha was trampled to death while three other

reporters narrowly escaped the wrath of the nine pachyderms which have

been playing havoc in several villages.

Disregarding the advice of forest officials, the four scribes had gone

to take photographs of the herd in the Hussainapuram reserve forest

area, near Veeraghatam in the early hours.

According to one of the reporters, they suddenly came almost face to

face with the elephant herd. One journalist triggered a flash on his

camera which proved to be a red rag for the pachyderms. With a deafening

roar, they immediately charged at the fear-stricken journalists who ran

helter-skelter. Only three managed to escape.

Photos taken from a distance revealed a highly mutilated body,

suspected to be that of Nagaraju. Meanwhile, fifty families in the

Hussianapuram and nearby hamlets have been shifted to safer places.

Vizianagaram Correspondent reports: Jayant, the trained elephant,

brought from Chittoor to drive away the wild elephants is now being

taken to

Palla, near Sitampeta in Srikakulam district, according to B. Ramana

Babu, Divisional Forest Officer.

At least seven persons have been killed by this herd so far. A team of

forest officials from Orissa and Andhra Pradesh met at Parvathipuram on

Wednesday and decided to utilise the services of Bijoyonand Chowdhury

of Assam, who is an expert in tackling elephant menace. The DFO told

this correspondent that Mr. Chowdhury informed him that prior to

deploying three trained elephants from Assam he would visit the place and

supervise the terrain.

 

Death condoled

 

 

Special Correspondent from Hyderabad adds: Information Minister Anam

Ramnarayan Reddy, in a statement, condoled the death of Nagaraju and

promised aid to his family.