Pelting of stones on elephant by villagers hampers operation

H.D. Kote: Frequent disturbance from villagers, who indulged in pelting stones on the elephant, hampered the operation undertaken by the Forest Department personnel yesterday, to drive the elephant that had strayed into Beechanahalli in H.D. Kote taluk.

The elephant, which strayed into Beechanahalli on Friday, had injured one Lakshmi, who was sitting in front of her house and had also damaged vehicles in the village.

The Forest Department requested the District Administration to impose prohibitory orders under Section 144 of CrPC till the elephant was driven back to the forest as the villagers were hampering their operation.

Even as the elephant began running from one street to another to find a way to escape, the villagers were blocking all the exits preventing the elephant to escape which later entered a sugarcane field behind Saragur Bus Stand. It later moved via Niluvagilu, Nerale and Hosur and entered another sugarcane field near Yalamathur Mani Bassappa Temple and later moved via Antharasanthe, Gundatur and Udbur to return back to the forest.

H.D. Kote ACF Parameshwarappa, RFOs Vinay, Madhu and staff took part in the operation.