Dubare camp closed for a day after jumbo kills mahout

Siddapur, Apr 18: A mahout was killed by an elephant at Dubare camp on?Monday. The deceased has been identified as Annu (48), who was a mahout for an elephant named Ranjan.

According to eyewitnesses, Annu was removing the shackles of his elephant (Ranjan) for the morning stroll when another elephant Karthik, aged six, suddenly raised Annu with its trunk and flung him some distance. Annu, who fell from a height, died instantly.

Though chained, the jumbo later created havoc by moving sideways wildly, triggering tension for sometime. The other domesticated elephants were deployed to bring the elephant under control.Following the incident and the elephant’s violent behaviour, the camp, known for its safari, was closed for visitors.

The mahout’s autopsy was conducted at the community health centre at Siddapur and his body was handed over to his relatives. Divisional Forest Officer Surya Sen, Range Forest Officer Nehru and Assistant Conservator of Forest Ranjan visited the spot. Siddapur police have registered a case.

Another attack?

In another suspected wild elephant attack outside the camp, a mahout suffered injuries on Sunday.

Chandra, the mahout was walking towards his house from the camp when he was allegedly attacked by a wild elephant. On Monday, he was found in a pool of blood and was rushed to Siddapur primary?health?centre for first aid. He was later shifted to the District Hospital in Madikeri.

However, forest officials are verifying Chandra’s claims as he was found drunk in the camp.

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Major facelift for Mangaluru's sporting heart: Mangala Stadium set for 2-month closure to upgrade synthetic track

News Network

December 15,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 15: Educational institutions in Mangaluru that rely on the popular Mangala Stadium for their annual sports events are bracing for an inconvenience as the city's key sporting venue is set to close its gates for a significant upgrade. The stadium is expected to be unavailable for approximately two months starting from January 15, 2026.

The closure is necessitated by a proposed overhaul of the stadium's facilities, with a special focus on upgrading the synthetic track. Pradeep Dsouza, Assistant Director of the District of Youth Empowerment and Sports (DYES), Dakshina Kannada, confirmed the development.

"Experts have visited the stadium, conducted a thorough inspection, and have given the go-ahead for a complete makeover," Dsouza stated. "Funds have been allocated for the project, and we are currently awaiting the final green signal from state officials to commence the work. We anticipate that the work will likely begin in the second week of January. Consequently, we have stopped renting out the stadium to colleges and other organizations in preparation for the upgrade."

The timing presents a logistical challenge for colleges, as many schools have already concluded their sports meets.

"Colleges will now be organizing their events and will need to find alternative locations to host their sports meets," Dsouza added. He suggested a few potential venues, including the Dakshina Kannada police ground, University College grounds, Panambur grounds, Swaraj Maidan in Moodbidri, and the Mangalore University sports grounds in Konaje.

However, many institutions note that finding a comparable venue will be difficult. While the DK police ground and University College grounds are closer to the city center, they do not possess the extensive facilities and infrastructure offered by Mangala Stadium.

Dr. P Dayananda Pai - P Satisha Govt First Grade College, Carstreet, is one such institution dependent on the stadium. Principal Jayakar Bhandary expressed hope for a swift completion of the work. "We expect the work to be completed at the earliest. If not, we will be forced to look for other venues to host the sports day for our students," Bhandary said, highlighting the pressing need for the city's main sporting facility.

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