Gundlupet: A group of youths, said to be from Kerala, who had got down from their vehicle to click photos of a tusker at Maddur Forest area in Bandipur National Park yesterday, was attacked by the tusker. Luckily, no one was injured in the incident.

It is learnt that the youths, who were proceeding toward Calicut via Maddur Forest area, saw a lone tusker moving near the roadside and reportedly got down from their vehicles thus violating the forest rules and ventured near the tusker to click photos of it on their mobile phone cameras.

Irked over humans approaching it, the tusker trumpeted to give them a warning. But, the youths who did not heed to the warning of the tusker tried to go close to it only to be attacked by the tusker, which began to chase them. The youths, who began to scream, ran helter-skelter to  save their lives.

Meanwhile, some vehicles which were proceeding on the road managed to pick up the youths and moved to a safe distance. Luckily, no one was injured in the incident and traffic on the road was disrupted for sometime.

The youths then went their way only after the tusker went into the forest.

Wildlife lovers have urged the Forest Department authorities to initiate strict action against those venturing out of their vehicles to click photos in forest area which is a clear violation of forest rules. They say that this amounts to disturbing wild animals in their natural habitat, which is an offence.