A villager who ventured inside Bandipur Tiger Reserve was trampled to death by a wild elephant and his body was recovered on Monday.
The victim was identified as Rangarajan (54) and the incident is suspected to have taken place late on Sunday.
The relatives and family members of Rangarajan lodged a police complaint when he did not return home. The police informed the forest department staff who launched a search operation with the help of the local villagers.
The search had to be postponed till morning as there were hundreds of elephants moving around in the vicinity, the Conservator of Forests Mr. T. Balachandra said.
On Monday morning, when the elephants had dispersed, the forest department staff ventured inside and after combing the area for sometime discovered the body of Rangarajan in the Yalchatti beat which is in the Kundukere range of the tiger reserve.
Forest department officials said people have been repeatedly advised and warned against venturing inside the forest but they pay no heed to it.
As the incident took place within the forest, the family members will also not be eligible for any compensation as per the Government norms, they added.
