Senior IFS officer S. Manikandan (45), who was the Conservator of Forests and Director of Nagarahole Tiger Reserve, died under tragic circumstances when he was attacked by a wild tusker in the jungles on Saturday.
The incident took place in the D.B. Kuppe range where the officer had gone to assess the damage to forests cause by a minor fire, near Kakanakote close to the Kabini backwaters. Though the information from the site of the tragedy is sketchy, officials said Manikantan, who was accompanied by a few staff, was walking to take GPS reading when a lone tusker attacked the group from behind. Manikantan suffered serious injuries. He was rushed to a hospital in H.D. Kote, where he was declared dead.
The Principal Chief Conservator of Forest Jayaram confirmed the incident but was in a state of shock to provide additional information.
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Manikandan was a 2001 batch officer and from Madurai in Tamil Nadu. He is survived by his wife, a son and a daughter. An official confirmed that the post mortem will be performed at the K.R. Hospital in Mysuru after which the body would be taken to Madurai for last rites.