Madikeri: A wild elephant, which was caught under rail barricade, has been rescued by the Forest Department officials and staff.

The wild elephant, which came out of the forest in search of food and water, tried to enter the village by sneaking under the rail barricade which is installed on the border of Valnur village but was caught between the barricade and the ground. Unable to move forward, the exhausted wild elephant had dozed off at the spot.

Meenukolli Forest Officer Subraha and staff, who reached the spot, opened a part of the rail barricade by removing the bolts and nuts and freed the wild elephant. The elephant later moved into the nearby forest.

Though the Forest Dept. has installed rail barricades to prevent wild elephants from entering villages in forest borders, the wild elephants somehow cross the barricades, enter agricultural fields and destroy standing crops besides damaging properties.