Hassan: Venkatesh alias Aane Venkatesh (40), a tranquilliser expert involved in several elephant rescue operations, succumbed to injuries after one such operation went awry, at Halliyuru near Alur in the district on Thursday.
Bheema is the tusker that trampled Venkatesh to death. The elephant had sustained injuries during a fight with another tusker in the forest in July. A team of veterinarians had treated the injured pachyderm with the help of two tamed elephants two days ago. However, Bheema was seen wandering in and around the border villages with pain. The locals had brought it to the notice of Forest Department.
