It’s a double whammy for Ansar, a labourer from Bheemaganahalli now admitted in RL Jalappa hospital for treatment due to the injuries sustained in an elephant attack. Abject poverty coupled with ill-health has added to his misery.
“I had been to the periphery of the forest to fetch firewood. I had not even ventured into the forest but was busy collecting firewood near the road leading to forest.
All of a sudden an elephant attacked me. It first threw me with its trunk. As I attempted to run away, the jumbo kicked me. It trampled my shoulders, chest and leg,” a writhing Ansar said.
Dr V Lakshmaiah, the Medical Superintendent of RL Jalappa Hospital said Ansar has suffered fracture of collar bone and chest bone. He has also surrender damage to his spinal cord and toe. He will have to be in the hospital for at least three weeks.
“It will take six weeks for the bones to rejoin. Since he has surrender bleeding in the chest, a catheter has been inserted to facilitate breathing,” he said.
Still recovering
According to family sources, Ansar has been running fever for the past two years thus preventing him from going for work.
His wife, Zarina, rolls incense sticks to make the ends meet. The couple have three children. The worry over future was writ large on the face of the family members. Pyarejan, brother of Ansar said he paid Rs 3,500 to the hospital on Wednesday.
Assistant Conservator of Forests Puttanna told Deccan Herald that the Forest Department was being the treatment cost on humanitarian grounds. He said a sum of Rs 10,000 has been spent till now.
“We have cautioned people against entering forest. There is no rule that people should be compensated if they suffer injuries on account of any mishap in the forest. We are doing it only on humanitarian grounds,” Puttanna said.
The family members of Ansar said Bangarpet legislator M Narayanaswamy, who visited them Wednesday night, paid Rs 5,000 towards treatment expenses.