A road accident in Karnataka has claimed one of the most loved elephants in the state. 'Rowdy Ranga', the 48-year-old wild elephant, was reportedly killed after getting hit by a speeding bus.  The incident is said to have happened at around 2 am on Monday near Mathigodu Elephant Camp in Thithimathi on the Mysore-Gonikoppal road.

Reports said that loss of excess blood and serious injury on the spine are the reasons for the death of the tusker. Elephants on Railway Tracks: Seismic Sensors Being Put on Rail Lines to Warn Loco-Pilots; Here's How They Work.

The wildlife officials said that Ranga was returning from grazing in the forest. Ranga was hit by a speeding bus while he was making his way to the Mathigodu elephant camp.

There were 35 passengers in the bus that was involved in the accident with Ranga elephant. Ranga, along with the passengers, was taken to the hospital for treatment but succumbed to his injuries.

The driver of the bus has been taken into custody. Ranga had been nicknamed Rowdy reportedly for his rouge behaviour. The elephant had been captured after his involvement in a few man-animal conflict cases. The elephant had then been relocated to Mathigodu, where he was tamed and trained for Dasara procession. This endeared him to the masses and gave him immense popularity.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 09, 2018 09:01 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).