Death of trainee vet: Shivamogga veterinarians blame the ‘system’, seek action against officials responsible

The Shivamogga district unit of the Karnataka Veterinary Association has blamed the lacunae in the administration of zoos for the death of Dr. Sameeksha Reddy, trainee veterinarian, who died in a hippopotamus attack at Tyavarekoppa Tiger and Lion Safari in Shivamogga.

In a press conference in Shivamogga on Monday (March 23, 2026), Dr. Kendesh, district president of the association, said that the zoo had a vacancy for a veterinarian who had studied wildlife in post-graduation. However, the zoo authority had recruited a veterinarian, who had no post-graduation in treating wildlife, on a contractual basis. The authority had then placed the two newly recruited apprentices, including Dr. Sameeksha Reddy, under the veterinarian.

“The whole system looks flawed. There is no veterinarian trained in wildlife, and under him, two trainees have been placed. The apprentices were undergoing training for a payment of ₹650 per day, with no assurance of a job on completion of three months’ training. In fact, the apprentices had a competition between them to prove their efficiency and dedication, as only one could secure the job after the training schedule. Moreover, the trainees are not given even a day’s leave but are asked to work overtime,” said Mr. Kendesh.

Breach of SOP

As per the standard operating procedure (SOP) in a zoo, a veterinarian can enter the enclosure of a wild animal only in the presence of the designated animal handler and a forest officer. “In this case, Sameeksha Reddy got down the enclosure at night in the absence of any official. The Executive Director of the zoo and other officials in charge of the institute should take the blame,” he said.

In the absence of veterinarians trained in wildlife, Mr. Kendesh said, zoos hire the services of veterinarians from the Department of Animal Husbandry on deputation. On many occasions, the veterinarians have suffered serious injuries and faced difficulty.

Dr. Vinay, also a veterinarian, suffered serious injuries and underwent multiple surgeries after he was attacked by a wild elephant during a capture operation. “The Forest Department should take note of incidents that happened in the past and ensure they are not repeated. Even in the case of Sameeksha Reddy’s death, the department should hold a proper investigation and punish those people whose negligence led to the death of a young officer,” he demanded.