Woman’s death in tusker attack: Angry crowd heckles MLA MP Kumaraswamy, lathi charged

Chikkamagaluru: Mudigere MLA, M P Kumaraswamy, had to bear the brunt of the angry villagers when he paid a visit to the house of the woman who lost her life in an elephant attack here on Sunday. Police had to resort to the lathi charge to disperse the unruly crowd and rescue the MLA.

A 45-year-old Shobha Amritha had been trampled to death by a wild elephant in Hulemane Kundur village of Mudigere taluk here on Sunday morning when she had gone to the forest to fetch fodder for her cattle.

There was simmering discontent among the villagers about the administrative apathy related to the incident.

MLA M.P. Kumaraswamy visited the village in the evening to offer his condolences. However, the angry villagers gheraoed him. Kumaraswamy was heckled, sworn at, and manhandled by the crowd.

Police struggled to control the agitated crowd and had to resort to a baton charge to bring the situation under control.

After the harrowing and humiliating experience, MLA M P Kumaraswamy released a video message alleging a planned conspiracy against him. He said that he had just been there to offer his condolences to the bereaved family.