Bengaluru, June 5 (IANS) The wife of senior IPS officer Annalamada Sunil Achaiah, Sandhya Achaiah (51), was killed in a wild elephant attack at her coffee estate in Konanakatte village near Thithimathi in Karnataka’s Kodagu district on Friday morning.

Following the incident, Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar spoke to the bereaved officer over the phone and expressed his condolences.

According to an official statement, the Chief Minister conveyed deep sorrow over the tragedy and assured the family that the government stood with them in their hour of grief.

He also prayed for strength for Sunil Achaiah and other family members to cope with the loss.

The Chief Minister further said that instructions had been issued to the concerned officials to take necessary measures to prevent human-elephant conflict in the region.

Preliminary reports stated that Sandhya Achaiah was inspecting work at the coffee plantation along with her estate manager and driver when a wild elephant suddenly emerged and charged at the group.

While the accompanying staff managed to escape with minor injuries, Sandhya Achaiah was caught in the attack and sustained severe injuries.

She was immediately rushed to a nearby hospital in Gonikoppal but succumbed to her injuries while being taken for treatment.

She is believed to have died at around 10-10.15 a.m.

Forest Department and police officials visited the spot and carried out an inspection.

A case has been registered in connection with the incident.

Officials noted that the estate is located close to the Nagarhole wildlife sanctuary and emphasised the need for stronger preventive measures, including fencing and improved management systems to prevent wild animals from straying into human-inhabited areas.

Human-elephant conflict in Karnataka continues to be a major conservation and public safety challenge, particularly in districts such as Kodagu, Hassan, Chikkamagaluru and parts of the Mysuru region.

Karnataka, which has one of the largest elephant populations in the country, has implemented measures such as elephant-proof trenches, solar fencing, early warning systems and habitat restoration programmes.

However, fragmentation of forest corridors and increasing human activity in elephant habitats continue to intensify the conflict.

On average, the state has recorded around 50 to 70 human deaths annually in elephant-related incidents over the past few years.

Kodagu, Hassan, Chikkamagaluru and Mysuru districts have consistently reported some of the highest numbers of fatalities linked to such incidents.

–IANS

mka/pgh