COIMBATORE: A wild elephant damaged several houses near a college at Koundampalayam, near here, on Thursday morning. The residents escaped without injuries.
Staff of the Periyanacikenpalayam forest range, under which the area falls, have been on alert for the last three days as more than 25 elephants in several herds are moving in different directions inside the range. Surprisingly, a sub-adult elephant that entered nearby villages during daytime.
A team of anti-poaching watchers and forest guards is engaged in diverting the elephant by bursting crackers.
“The public should be cautious and avoid entering the elephant corridor as it is a period of migration for elephants now. It will continue for one more month. We are making serious efforts to prevent the animals from entering farmlands,” said range officer Palaniraja.
Forest officials also warned a farmer from Kovanur who had illegally connected electricity to a fence after elephants damaged his crops on Wednesday night. The They found the electrified fence during routine inspection and removed it.
“The public, especially youths, should cooperate with us to divert the animals into the forest safely. It is common in the area for groups of youths to consume liquor and start chasing elephants into the forest. Though we have warned people many times not to go near the elephants, they do not listen,” said an official involved in the operation.
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