After killing mahout, Dasara elephant Gajendra kills fellow elephant Srirama

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March 17, 2015

Mysuru, Mar 17: Fiery-tempered tusker Gajendra, which used to take part in Mysuru Dasara Utsav, has now killed another Dasara elephant.

Dasara elephant Srirama, known as the Nishane or Naupat elephant, succumbed to injuries at K?Gudi located in Biligiriranga Temple (BRT) Tiger Reserve on?Monday.

srirama

Dasara elephant Srirama was known as the Nishane or Naupat elephant

Gajendra, who is in masth had started a fight with?Srirama on Sunday evening. He gored his mahout Ganapati to death, and later attacked Srirama causing injuries which led to his death. Srirama, about 59 years old, was captured from Tithimathi forest in 1969 under the pit method.

Elephants are known to become aggressive when they are in masth, and so has been the case with 56-year-old Gajendra, who has now broken off his shackles and fled from the camp. He is yet to be traced, and a major hunt is on for him. Gajendra is also one of the royal elephants, having donned the role of ‘pattada aane.’ He has so far taken part in 19 Dasaras.

Around four to five teams have been formed by the Forest department to capture the elephant.

Officials are desperately hoping that the elephant will eventually make its way back to the camp on its own.

Speaking to Deccan Herald, S S Lingaraju, Conservator of Forests and Director of BRT, said that domesticated elephants are being brought from various camps in the region to capture Gajendra.

Lingaraju said Ganapathi was a permanent employee of the Forest department and facilities would be extended to his family as per the government norms. One of the family members would get a job in the department on compassionate grounds, he added.

Dr Nagaraj, veterinarian of the Forest department, said that Gajendra’s behaviour was unprecedented, as it had never displayed such aggressiveness when it has been in masth the previous times. “This shows that the wild animal behaviour is unpredictable,” he said, adding that even domesticated elephants can become aggressive during masth.

He said that camp elephants are usually allowed into the forest to graze and mate. “The elephants are used to the drill and return to the camp. We are hopeful that Gajendra too will return on its own,” he said. However, the operation to track the elephant has been taken up to prevent any other untoward incidents.

Srirama, who died at 59, measured 2.65 metres in height. He was captured at Tithimathi forest range in 1969, and had taken part in the Dasara 14 times, as the flag bearer. Srirama was reared at Amba Vilas Palace for five years, before being shifted to K Gudi camp.

Members of the Wadiyar family, Vishalakshi Devi and Shashidevi, paid their last respects to the elephant. The elephant had not taken part during the last Dasara, as his leg was injured.

Gajendra, measuring 2.8 meters in height, was incidentally captured with the help of Srirama at Kattepura Forest Range of Kodagu district in 1987. The elephant has participated in?Dasara 19 times.

The last rites of Ganapathi were performed at Nagapura Tribal Rehabilitation Centre, near Hunsur in Mysuru district. He was serving as a permanent employee for the past three years at K Gudi elephant camp. Earlier, he was employed at Nagarahole National Park.

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News Network
November 13,2024

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Bengaluru: An estimated overall 10.14 per cent voter turnout was recorded during the first two hours, since the voting began for bypolls to three Assembly segments in Karnataka on Wednesday, election officials said.

The voting began at 7 am and will go on till 6 pm.

More than seven lakh voters are eligible to cast their votes in about 770 polling stations in Shiggaon, Sandur and Channapatna, where a total of 45 candidates are in the fray.

While Channapatna recorded 10.34 per cent voter turnout till 9 am, it was 10.08 per cent in Shiggaon, and 9.99 per cent in Sandur, election officials said.

Voters, including women and elderly were seen queuing up in front of polling booths in these segments.

By-polls for Sandur, Shiggaon, and Channapatna are necessitated, as the seats fell vacant following the election of their respective representatives -- E Tukaram of Congress, former CM Basavaraj Bommai of BJP, and Union Minister H D Kumaraswamy of JD(S) -- to Lok Sabha in May elections.

As many as 31 candidates are in the fray from Channapatna, while Sandur and Shiggaon have six and eight contenders, respectively.

Elaborate security arrangements have been made in the three segments for the smooth conduct of the polls.

The by-polls will witness a straight fight between the ruling Congress and BJP in Sandur and Shiggaon segments, while in Channapatna, JD(S) which is part of the NDA alliance is in contest against the grand old party.

Among the three segments, Channapatna is considered to be a "high profile", where the contest is between C P Yogeeshwara, a five time MLA from the segment and former Minister, who joined the Congress quitting BJP ahead of nomination, and actor-turned -politician Nikhil Kumaraswamy, who is Kumaraswamy’s son and former PM H D Deve Gowda's grandson.

BJP's Bharath Bommai, son of Basavaraj Bommai, is fighting Congress Yasir Ahmed Khan Pathan, who had faced defeat against the former Chief Minister in the 2023 Assembly polls, in Shiggaon.

Bharath Bommai and his father cast their vote at a polling booth in Shiggaon segment.

In Sandur, Bellary MP Tukaram's wife E Annapurna of Congress is contesting from the seat vacated by her husband, against, BJP ST Morcha president Bangaru Hanumanthu, who is considered close to party leader and former mining barron G Janardhan Reddy.

Annapurna, Tukaram and other family members cast their votes at a booth in the segment.

With Nikhil Kumaraswamy and Bharath Bommai contesting, the third generation of Gowda and Bommai families are in the fray in this by-poll. Both their fathers and grandfathers have served as Karnataka's Chief Ministers in the past.

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News Network
November 18,2024

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Mangaluru: A 14-year-old boy, Subodh, tragically lost his life after being struck by lightning while sitting outside his home in Kedila village, Bantwal taluk, on Sunday evening.

The incident occurred around 5:30 PM while Subodh, an 8th-grade student at Kalladka Shriram High School, was seated outside his house. Lightning struck him, leaving him unconscious. 

Family members rushed him to a nearby clinic and later to a private hospital in Puttur, where doctors confirmed his death upon arrival.

The boy's body was sent to Puttur Government Hospital for a post-mortem.

Tahsildar Archana Bhat has directed revenue officials to assist the grieving family. Vitla Revenue Inspector Prashanth Shetty, Village Administrative Officer Anil Kumar, Kedila Panchayat President Harish Valtaje, and panchayat members visited the family to offer their condolences and support.

This heartbreaking incident highlights the unpredictability of nature’s fury, leaving a community mourning the untimely loss of a young life.

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News Network
November 21,2024

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Prominent NRI community leader SM Syed Khalilur Rehman, fondly known as CA Khalil, passed away in Dubai on Thursday at the age of 86 after a brief illness.

Khalil had been admitted to Aster Hospital in Mankhool on Tuesday after experiencing severe leg weakness. Despite the best efforts of the medical team, he succumbed to a double heart attack that worsened his condition, his son Rais Ahmed confirmed.

The news of his passing has sent waves of grief across communities, particularly in his hometown of Bhatkal, Karnataka, where he was a celebrated figure. Tributes have been pouring in on social media, highlighting his significant contributions to international trade, social service, and education.

A Legacy of Leadership and Service

A chartered accountant by profession, Khalil was a founding member of the Dubai chapter of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI), where he served as chairman from 1987 to 1994. His illustrious career included key leadership roles, such as general manager of Khaleej Times, group executive director of the Ilyas and Mustafa Galadari Group, and vice-chairman of the Jashanmal Group of Companies.

He also chaired Maadhyama Communications and Sahil Online, a web-based news platform, and was a director and trustee of several media companies and charitable organisations in Dubai and India.

A Champion for Education and Philanthropy

Khalil’s impact extended far beyond his professional achievements. As president and general secretary of Anjuman Hami-e-Muslimeen, he played a pivotal role in the development of educational institutions, including schools and colleges in Bhatkal and surrounding areas. His dedication to social upliftment earned him recognition from the Government of Karnataka, which honoured him with a prestigious award for his philanthropic contributions.

A Life Celebrated

The Bhatkal Muslim Khaleej Council (BMKC) recently released a documentary celebrating Khalil’s remarkable life and service to the community—a testament to his enduring legacy.

CA Khalil is survived by his family and countless admirers across the globe. His passing marks the end of an era for Indian expatriates in the UAE and beyond, leaving behind a legacy of leadership, generosity, and commitment to community service.

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