Srirangapatna: A herd of nine wild elephants, which raided sugarcane fields at Hampapura and Hebbadi villages and had stayed put in a sugarcane field at Gamanahalli village in Srirangapatna taluk since yesterday morning, were finally driven out of the sugarcane field yesterday evening by the Forest Department staff.

After the herd of wild elephants began raiding standing crops, villagers and public began crowding the place. The Forest Department officials, as a safety measure, warned motorists travelling on Mysuru-Mahadevapura Road and instructed villagers of Hampapura, Hebbadi hundi and Rammanahalli not to go to their agricultural fields.

Srirangapatna Range Forest Officer (RFO) Anita, Deputy RFO Anandegowda and staff                         Kantharaj, Pasha and others stayed put at the spot and took steps to prevent the elephants from entering the villages.

Finally, at about 6.45 pm, the Forest staff managed to drive away the elephants, which began to move towards Bannur.

This morning, the elephant herd was seen swimming in Cauvery River near Bannur.