Mandya: Barbed wire blocks cremation path, last rites performed on the road
Mandya: In a distressing incident in Hibbadihundi village of Srirangapatna taluk, villagers were forced to conduct a funeral on the road after a farmer fenced off the traditional cremation path.
A man named Andanigowda recently erected a barbed-wire fence, claiming ownership of the cremation route. As a result, when 32-year-old Satish from the village passed away on Sunday, his last rites were performed on the road itself in protest.
Villagers stated that the pathway had long been used to access the cremation ground, a water reservoir for cattle, and nearby farmland. However, with the road now blocked, movement has been restricted. They accused Andanigowda of obstructing a public pathway.
The villagers have warned that if the district and taluk administration fail to intervene and remove the fence, they will conduct future funerals in front of government offices as a mark of protest.
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Watch: Tusker rescued from 20-foot well in Sullia after 16-hour operation
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Mangaluru (PTI): A lone tusker that had fallen into an abandoned 20-foot-deep well in Dakshina Kannada district was successfully rescued after forest officials constructed an earthen ramp, allowing the animal to walk out safely, officials said.
The incident occurred when the elephant, aged about 30 years and roaming in the forested Sampaje range of Sullia taluk in the Western Ghats, accidentally fell into the well in the early hours of Monday and was rescued at around 4 pm the same day, they said.
Initially, when the operation began, officials suspected it was a calf. But midway through the rescue, as it made its way out, they realised it was actually an elephant.
The animal remained trapped inside the well for nearly 16 hours before being rescued, officials added.
Huge relief, the elephant is out of the well.
— Harish Upadhya (@harishupadhya) April 13, 2026
The animal has moved into nearby plantations instead of heading back to the forest. Forest teams remain on high alert.#ElephantRescue #Karnataka https://t.co/ZCLU6COXTv pic.twitter.com/begPVx1oki
According to officials, acting swiftly, the Karnataka Forest Department created a gradual ramp from the bottom of the well to ground level using earth-moving equipment, ensuring a safe exit path for the animal.
After spending about 16 hours inside the well, the elephant walked out safely using the ramp and disappeared into the nearby forest, officials said.
A wild elephant trapped in a well in Peraje, Sullia. Rescue underway. Forest officials on-site for hours, digging to bring the animal out safely. Prayers for the gentle giant. #elephants #Karnataka pic.twitter.com/GZ7yp7pA8q
— Harish Upadhya (@harishupadhya) April 13, 2026
Forest department officials told PTI that the tusker did not sustain any injuries despite the fall and remained healthy and alert throughout the operation.
They monitored the animal as it climbed the ramp and returned to its natural habitat.
The timely intervention prevented any harm to the elephant and highlighted the swift response of the forest team in wildlife rescue operations in the Western Ghats region, which is known for human-elephant conflict incidents.
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