A forest watcher who was part of an operation to drive an elephant herd back into the jungle was found dead in a water tank in Veeranahosahalli range of Nagarahole National Park on Friday. The operations began on Thursday night and the herd, consisting of eight to 10 elephants, was being driven back into the forest. This is a routine exercise for forest guards and watchers, and there is a squad exclusively to chase elephants back into the jungle when they stray into human landscape and villages on the forest periphery. But during the operation, the elephant herd, at one point, turned around and charged at the guards, who had to run helter-skelter and disperse. A search operation was launched on Friday morning and forest personnel discovered his body in Gurugalakere tank, bordering a village and the forest.

Source: The Hindu April 18, 2020 09:35 UTC