Nagaland cadre IPS officer’s wife killed in elephant attack

DIMAPUR/BENGALURU, JUN 5 (AGENCIES): In a heart- breaking incident, Sandhya Achaya, wife of senior Nagaland cadre IPS officer Sunil Achaya, succumbed to injuries after being attacked by a wild elephant on her estate in Konankatte, near Gonikoppal in South Coorg.
Sunil Achaya is a 1991 batch IPS officer of Nagaland cadre and currently on deputation with the government of India. He also served as SP Dimapur during 1997-98. According to preliminary reports, Sandhya Achaya, in her early fifties, was on inspection tour of her estate along with her estate manager and driver when the elephant suddenly charged at the group. In the ensuing chaos, the manager and driver managed to escape, but Sandhya Achaya was unable to get away and sustained severe injuries. She later breathed her last at about 10:15 a.m. on Friday.
According to news reports, Kodagu Superintendent of Police Bindu Mani confirmed that a case was registered on the incident and investigations are underway. Authorities are examining the sequence of events and the circumstances that led to the attack.
Another media report, quoting a family friend, MT Cariappa called for stronger preventive measures. He also highlighted long-standing concerns about human-wildlife conflict in the region.
Pointing to inadequate security fencing, another planter said “Nagarhole wildlife sanctuary is just a stone’s throw from here and how can they not fence the forest area and allow the wild animals to roam around here.’’ The incident has once again spotlighted the persistent dangers posed by wild elephants in the Coorg region, where coffee estates and human settlements often border forest areas.
Officials are expected to intensify patrolling and assess forest boundaries to prevent such terrible tragedies.
In May, a tourist lost her life at Dubare Elephant Camp near Kushalnagar after being caught in a tussle between two captive elephants. The incident resulted in the closure of elephant camps for tourists as a safety measure until an SOP for visitor safety is framed.
Increasing encounters between people and wild elephants continue to pose a serious challenge for forest authorities and local communities across Kodagu, even as the government of Karnataka has assured elected representatives from the district that it will work towards finding a permanent solution to the problem.