19 October 2007
K. Nagaraju
Other accident
The herd of wild elephants that are on the rampage in the forest areas of Srikakulam and Vizianagaram districts claimed yet another victim, this time a reporter working for a Telugu daily.
K. Nagaraju of Andhra Prabha was suspected to have been trampled to death while three other reporters narrowly escaped the wrath of the nine pachyderms which have been playing havoc in several villages. Disregarding the advice of forest officials, the four scribes had gone to take photographs of the herd in the Hussainapuram reserve forest area, near Veeraghatam in the early hours.
According to one of the reporters, they suddenly came almost face to face with the elephant herd. One journalist triggered a flash on his camera which proved to be a red rag for the pachyderms. With a deafening roar, they immediately charged at the fear-stricken journalists who ran helter-skelter. Only three managed to escape. Photos taken from a distance revealed a highly mutilated body, suspected to be that of Nagaraju.
