A group of elephants was seen near a government school at Shirlaya near Aranthodu village in Sullia on Wednesday. Students waiting at a bus stop near the school ran away fearing a possible attack by them.
According to B.S. Kempalingappa, Sullia Block Education Officer, the elephants were noticed by students of Government Higher Primary School who came to the school around 7 a.m. These elephants were seen roaming around in a nearby field. It was around the same time that a group of students was waiting for a bus at the bus stop near the school. The presence of the elephants forced this group of students flee the bus stop.
Meanwhile, the elephants brought down a coconut tree in the field nearby, he said.
Mr. Kempalingappa said that the school functioned as usual. On Wednesday evening, the Forest Department officials took action to drive away the pachyderms. The elephants were not seen in the area on Thursday. Three days ago, the elephants were seen in Arasinamakki, Kokrady, Rekya, Shishila and Shibaje villages in Belthangady taluk. These elephants and also those noticed at Shirlaya come from the forests near Sullia and Subrahmanya.
Chief Conservator Forests, Mangaluru Division, Sanjay Bijoor said that it was normal to see elephants moving in these areas during this period. “The increase in people movement led to the sighting of the pachyderms,” he said. These elephants have been coming to these villages from the forests in Madikeri and Kerala. “Disturbances in the forest area in Madikeri and Kerala are leading elephants to this region in search of water and food,” he added.
The forest officials are trying to drive the pachyderms back to the forests by bursting crackers, if the animals are found to be staying in human habitation for more than two days.