Hassan, May 27 (IANS): The conflict between man and wildlife has come to the fore in Karnataka once again. On Friday, an elephant was shot dead in an agricultural field near Alur taluk in Hassan district.

Forest officials said that the elephant was a 20-year-old male. They are gathering information to trace the culprits.

Sources said that about 5 elephants have died unnatural deaths in the region in the past 1 year.

The villagers maintain that their repeated appeals to address the elephant menace is falling on deaf ears. "The government has closed their eyes on us. We are struggling and fighting to protect the crop that we grow for food," they said.

There are more than 20 wild elephants in the region and they destroy crops and attack villagers. However, though protests are staged, the authorities do not bother about the problem, the villagers stated.

Forest officials maintain that the killing was the result of human-animal conflict. An investigation will be conducted and the killers would be nabbed, they said.