Karkala: Animal Rights Activists have been demanding a ban on traditional sport of coastal Karnataka-Kambala citing cruelty on the animal.

However, in a role reversal, a buffalo chased its caretaker, injured him and then gored him to death at Irvathur on Monday late night.

Renjala Ramananda (40) is the deceased.

The incident occurred in the plantation of Irvathur Rathna Poojarthy, the owner of the Kambala buffalo.

It is said that Poojarthy had kept Ramananda as the caretaker of the Kambala buffalo about three months ago.

However, Ramananda, a habitual drunkard had come home in an inebriated state on Monday night and went to get the buffalo from the plantation, much against protests from his family members. Brushing aside their words, Ramananda let the buffalo loose.

The raged bovine first chased him and then gored him to death.

He breathed his last on the way to hospital in Moodabidri.