Five devotees killed in Elephant Attack

While on their way to a temple for Mahashivaratri celebrations, a group of elephants attacked, resulting in the deaths of five devotees. The incident occurred in the Annamayya district of Andhra Pradesh. Devotees were heading to the Siddheshwara temple in the Y. Kota Gundala Konda area of Obulwaripalle mandal.

As 14 devotees were walking, the elephant herd launched the attack. Three devotees lost their lives on the spot, and three others sustained severe injuries. The injured were rushed to the Railways Kodur hospital, where two of them succumbed to their injuries. Eight other devotees narrowly escaped the attack, while those with severe injuries were transferred to Tirupati RUIA hospital.

The victims were residents of the Kanyagunta ST colony in the Railways Kodur mandal. Recently, elephant attacks have increased, as devotees are forced to travel through forested areas to reach temples. Despite taking precautions, the sudden attack by elephants has caused concern.

The Minister of Forests, Pawan Kalyan, expressed his shock over the incident. He announced ex-gratia compensation for the victims' families: Rs. 10 lakh for each family and Rs. 5 lakh for the injured, as financial assistance from the government.