Belthangady: A lone wild elephant attacked a man and his family who were travelling in their in Shishila on Thursday, November 21.

Vasanth Gowda, a resident of Kallaje in Shishila, was on his way to drop his children, Lavya and Adhvit, at Perla School in Shibaje village around 8:30 AM when the elephant appeared suddenly on the road. Startled, Vasanth attempted to stop the bike but lost control and fell.

The family managed to escape on foot, but not without injuries. Vasanth and his children sustained minor injuries to their knees and arms while running to safety. Meanwhile, the enraged elephant smashed the bike, using its trunk and feet to trample it, rendering it completely destroyed.

This incident follows a similar elephant attack near Neriya, where a vehicle was damaged. Despite recurring elephant intrusions into human settlements, the Forest Department has faced criticism for its inaction. The growing frequency of such incidents has sparked widespread anger among local residents.