Vet’s death highlights safety concerns, lack of basic facilities at Tyavarekoppa safari in Shivamogga

Sameeksha Reddy who died after being attacked by a hippopotamus, at Tyavarekoppa Tiger and Lion Safari, in Shivamogga.
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SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

The tragic death of Sameeksha Reddy, veterinary apprentice, at Tyavarekoppa Tiger and Lion Safari in Shivamogga, has brought to light multiple serious shortcomings in handling wild animals and staff safety at the zoo.

Reddy was attacked by a pregnant hippopotamus on March 19 while on duty, and later she succumbed to injuries. She had joined the zoo for an apprenticeship programme along with her friend Merin Mariya Neel, also a resident of Bengaluru. Within days after starting the programme, both young veterinarians identified several critical deficiencies at the zoo hospital and brought them to the notice of the administration.

Students of Government Veterinary College in Shivamogga holding a candle-light protest at Gopi Circle in the city on Friday.
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S.K. Dinesh

On leave

Dr. Neel, who has been on leave since her colleague’s death, detailed a series of issues in her statement following the incident. Among the problems she listed include non-availability of drinking water at the zoo hospital. Both raised multiple complaints during the meetings, however, they received no response.

After the tragic incident, Dr. Neel wrote to the Executive Director of the zoo that she was in no state of mind to continue working at the place. She is currently on leave till March 31. When The Hindu contacted her on Friday, Dr. Neel said she confirmed that she was on leave and had not yet decided whether to resume the training programme.

Complaints

The trainees had little support from the administration while treating the animals. They had to repeatedly request officers to send animal keepers for their safety. In February, Reddy sent a message to the administration highlighting the lack of safety measures for the veterinarians and she often had to ‘beg for more man power’ to assist during procedures. The trainees also flagged the absence of essential infrastructure at the hospital including operation theatre tables, proper lighting and a functional sink. They further complained about rats eating the feed stored in bird cages.

No payment

Both the veterinarians were hired for apprenticeship with a stipend of ₹649 per day. However, they had not got the payment so far, despite repeated requests, with the administration citing procedural delays. They also faced difficulties in obtaining leave. According to Dr. Neel’s statement, when Reddy requested menstrual leave via text message, the Executive Director asked her to meet him at his office for approval.

Veterinary officer Murali Manohor, working on contractual basis, resigned from his post in November 2025. It is said that he too had cited the lack of facilities at the hospital and zoo multiple times.

Dr. Neel, in her statement, noted that the officer, under whom they were being trained, was working under pressure even after submitting his resignation.

Report

V.M. Amarakshara, the Executive Director of the zoo, said that he hired the two veterinarians for apprenticeship programme, which was part of the recruitment process. “Candidates with veterinary degrees often have little experience of handling wildlife. Hence, we devised a plan to hire two candidates for apprenticeship on a stipend and later recruit one of them as veterinary officer,” he said.

Regarding the allegation of asking the veterinarian to meet him to get approval for menstrual leave, the officer said that he received request for leave during working hours. “The trainee had asked for four days leave, including the menstrual leave. Since she was part of a structured training programme with a specific daily schedule and syllabus, I spoke to her and granted leave,” he said.

Following Reddy’s death, Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre asked senior officers to hold an investigation and submit a report. K.T. Hanumanthappa, Chief Conservator of Forests of Shivamogga Circle, conducted the investigation and submitted his report to his department on Thursday. The officer collected information from Mr. Amarakshara, Dr. Manohar, and other staff on duty at the zoo.

Meanwhile, the Shivamogga police, who registered an unnatural death report, are also investigating the case.

Published – March 27, 2026 07:00 pm IST