Bengaluru: Two layers of security — a door frame metal detector at the main entrance and security guards posted on the first floor of the building — failed to detect the knife or stop Tejraj Sharma from entering the chamber of Lokayukta P. Vishwanatha Shetty on Wednesday.

It was only on hearing Mr. Shetty’s cries for help that the gunman outside the office realised something was terribly wrong. By then, Tejraj had stabbed Mr. Shetty multiple times with the knife.

According to a The Hindu report, People working at the Lokayukta office in MS Building are not surprised by the security lapses. The door frame metal detector did not beep to alert the guards about an armed man entering the building. “The detector has been dysfunctional for many months now,” say sources.

Sources also confirmed that contrary to procedures laid down earlier, Tejraj was not frisked before he entered the Lokayukta chamber. He entered the office at 12.45 p.m. and wrote his name in the visitor’s register. He then went to meet Mr. Shetty only at 1.50 p.m. He went unchecked for an hour.

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Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre on Tuesday said a 7-km railway barricade has been approved for the Madikeri division and 20 km for the Nagarhole division in 2025–26 to curb human-elephant conflict in the regions.

Responding to a proposal raised by BJP MLC Suja Kushalappa during Zero Hour in the Legislative Council, he assured that work on the proposed railway barricades would begin soon.

Citing the death of a 17-year-old girl in an elephant attack on February 28 and that of a tribal woman on March 9 in the state, the minister said these deaths caused by elephant attacks were "extremely painful".

"Human life is very precious and cannot be valued in monetary terms. The Forest Department is taking all measures to prevent human-wildlife conflict."

The minister further said steps such as maintenance of elephant-proof trenches and solar-powered fencing were being undertaken, while two elephant task forces were currently in operation.

Orders have also been issued by the Chief Wildlife Warden to capture two rogue elephants.

In both cases, Rs 5 lakh compensation has already been disbursed to the families of the deceased, and the remaining Rs 15 lakh each will be provided within a week, he added.

Khandre said the government was making sincere efforts to find a permanent solution to the human–elephant conflict.