A lone elephant which strayed away from a 15-member herd of jumbos from Tamil Nadu forests kept trampling the standing crops of paddy and groundnut at Dalavaipalle village of Yadamarri mandal, 15 km from here, on Friday morning, leading to panic among the farmers.
A huge male elephant was seen emerging from the fog at this forest fringe village and entering the fields. Farmers and youth gathered there in an effort to drive it back into the thickets. But the elephant started charging at the crowds leading to a big commotion. Some youth armed with sticks went after the animal, which took a turn and raced at them. In the melee, one youth fell down and was injured. However, the youth had limped himself to his motorbike and fled the scene, thus saving himself. Later, the jumbo retreated into the thickets.
‘T.N. herd still around’
Meanwhile, Forest Range Officer (Chittoor) Madhava Rao said that a 15-member herd from the forests of Tamil Nadu had crossed over into tri-State Kuppam junction in December last, and kept moving towards Koundinya wildlife sanctuary belt between Bangarupalem and Palamaner. The herd entered Chittoor district borders at the forests abutting Ragimanumenta village of Bangarupalem mandal, 15 days ago. “During the last 15 days, we are having sleepless nights, making efforts to drive back the herd into their natural habitat. Now, they are moving between Yadamarri and Bangarupalem mandals, trampling crops at some stretches during night and retreating into thickets at dawn,” the FRO said.
The official said that one elephant which got separated from the herd was now creating trouble in some villages of Yadamarri. “We have deployed trackers at all vulnerable places and are closely monitoring the situation,” he said.
‘People worried’
Meanwhile, the farmers at Yadamarri said that as the pachyderms were moving close to human habitations, they were worried about the safety of women and schoolgoing children. Villagers living in thatched huts and weak-structured houses are at a risk of jumbo attacks, the farmers said, referring to the incident of wild elephants pulling down a house at a forest fringe village near Tavanampalle four months ago.
