Bengaluru, Jan 26 (IANS): A 65-year-old farmer was killed in a wild elephant attack on Thursday in Geralli village of Kanakapura taluk on the outskirts of Bengaluru.

The victim, identified as Puttananjaiah, along with three others had gone to keep a vigil on his Ragi crop on Wednesday night. The three slept on one side while the victim was sleeping separately.

In the morning, a wild elephant came there from a nearby forest and trampled Puttananjaiah to death. The three others however managed to escape from there.

Reacting to the incident, Karnataka's Leader of Opposition R. Ashoka said that Kanakapura and Ramanagara regions are continuously witnessing elephant attacks. "Unfortunately, three persons, including a woman, have lost their lives in a row".

He further said that more than 30 elephants staying in the surrounding villages of Kanakapura and Ramanagara regions. "The people who are living on the fringes of forests are not able to come out of their houses. The Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre should wake up to the issue and give immediate orders to catch the elephants which are causing menace and rehabilitate them to ensure the lives of farmers," the BJP leader said.

"I also demand CM Siddaramaiah to provide appropriate compensation to farmers who suffered crop loss due to elephant menace," Ashoka added.