Forest watcher found dead in suspicious situation in Nagarhole national park

Mysuru: Mystery shrouds the death of a forest watcher, Mahadev Nayaka at Veeranahosahally range of Nagarahole National Park as the body of the watcher was discovered in Gurugala Kere, a water hole inside the Park.

The 48-year-old watcher had gone missing on Thursday night while his body was traced in a water hole on Friday morning.

Nayaka was on duty on Thursday night along with his associates to drive elephants which had strayed outside the Park and during the scaring operation, elephants are reported to have given the scaring team members a chase and the forest staff ran for their lives.

Amid this hullaballoo, Nayaka got separated from the rest of the team members.

Nayaka went missing on the same night, while other members returned back once the situation got calmer. Later, when others ventured out to search for him, Nayaka was found dead in a water hole.

The Gurugala Kere, a water hole, is said to have water 12-feet depth and Mahadeva Nayaka might have fallen into the tank accidentally while trying to escape elephants. Forest sources day that he might not be an efficient swimmer to swim out of the tank.

Others suspect that Nayaka could have had heart attack on seeing elephant chasing him while being separated from the team members.

Conservator of Forests and Director of Nagarahole National Park Mahesh Kumar told Deccan Chronicle on Saturday that a police complaint has been lodged with regard to the death of Mahadeva Nayaka to find out if there is any suspicious angle to the death.

Post mortem on Mahadev Nayaka body was conducted. Mahadeva Nayaka was working as an outsource forest watcher at Nagarahole for four years.