One dead, 14 hospitalised in K’taka village after bee attack

One person died and 14 others were admitted to a hospital following an attack by forest bees during the cremation of a body in the Kongarahalli village of Karnataka's Chamarajanagar district, said officials on Monday, 18 September.

The deceased was identified as 60-year-old Chennappa, a resident of the village. The injured were admitted to the Holycross hospital. One of the injured persons was critical.

According to police, the incident took place on Sunday, 17 September, late in the evening during the funeral of a woman. The swarm of forest bees attacked the people gathered for the funeral as soon as the funeral pyre was lit.

A beehive was located close to the cremation spot, and the bees attacked the people gathered for cremation. The people ran helter-skelter following the attack. Chennappa sustained severe injuries during the attack and succumbed on the way to hospital.