The Hindu : Karnataka News : Elephant attacks boy near BR Hills

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jun 08, 2005

Karnataka

Karnataka

Elephant attacks boy near BR Hills

Staff Reporter

BANGALORE: It was a narrow escape from being trampled by an elephant for the son of a Non-Resident Indian from the U.S., now here on a vacation. He is back home in Malleswaram, after a trip to Biligiri Ranga Hills Sanctuary, recovering a broken bone and severe bruises, just getting over the shock.

Nine-year-old Vishnu Shriram was attacked by an elephant in BR Hills near a resort on Friday. The family was returning after visiting the sanctuary when the incident occurred.

Vishnu's father, "Karaoke" Shriram, a professional singer in Florida, and his family saw these pachyderms standing beside the road and got down from their car to take a photograph. They offered a banana to the baby elephant and Mr. Shriram went for a second time for a closer look at the animal and his two sons accompanied him and tried to touch them. "The elephants seemed chained from behind and the two elephants looked quite calm," said Rajalakshmi, Vishnu's mother, who teaches in a college in the U.S.

The family was very excited. Ms. Rajalakshmi warned them as the larger elephant was slowly coming closer towards them. "Suddenly one of the elephants attacked Vishnu with its trunk and the boy fell down. His elder brother, Subhash, hit it with a stick, before it could get its foot on the boy," she said.

The rest of the family kept shouting and the elephants backed away. The family got back into the car and hurried away from the spot.

The boy suffered a fractured collarbone and bruises. Vishnu, who was unconscious by then, was taken to a mobile clinic near the resort and later shifted to a hospital in Chamarajanagar.

This incident has traumatised the family. "There were no safety precautions or guidelines given to us about elephants by the forest authorities," said Ms. Rajalakshmi. The officials later told them that the elephant that tried to attack the child was mischievous, although it was trained.

Wildlife authorities said every sanctuary and national park has signs asking people not to get closer to the animals, even if they looked tame. "It is always better to take photos from a vehicle or at least be close to the vehicle, and not go too close to animals," they said.

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