Madikeri: A man, who was proceeding in his car towards Siddapura from Polibetta in Kodagu, rammed the vehicle into a tree after seeing a wild elephant on the road near Hundi village in Virajpet taluk yesterday.

It is learnt that the man, working as a Manager of a private Bank, was driving his car, when he noticed a wild elephant appearing all of a sudden in front of the car. The man, who got panicked after seeing the elephant, lost control of the car and drove the vehicle into a roadside estate and rammed the car into a banyan tree.

Though the car has been badly damaged due to the impact, the Bank Manager and others in the car escaped miraculously as the air bags opened due to the impact. Due to the sound of the impact, the elephant is said to have fled from the spot and the car has been dragged out of the estate with the help of a tractor.  Siddapura Police visited the spot.