A herd of wild elephants entered a eucalyptus plantation and attacked six sleeping labourers there at Neeralaga village near Santolli in Badanagod Gram Panchayat area in Sirsi taluk in the early hours of Tuesday, according to a report reaching here on Wednesday.
When people of the village came to the spot and burst crackers to drive away the elephants, the adult elephants sneaked into the forest leaving behind a two-month-old baby elephant in the Amminakoppa forest area in Hangal taluk.
Forest officials from the Hangal range have taken the baby elephant into their custody. They are planning to send it back to its mother after spotting the herd.
People of Neeralaga village were happy to see the baby elephant on the auspicious day of Bhumi Hunnive and offered puja and gave bananas to it before passing on the information to the forest officials.
The injured labourers were admitted to hospital at Sirsi.
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