Wild elephants create havoc at Nagapura

• Ten elephants driven back to forest last night
• Three other elephants come back this morning

Hunsur: The Forest Department staff, who had driven a herd of 10 wild elephants back into the forest were in for a surprise after three other elephants, including a radio collared one entered Nagapura Tribal Hamlet after crossing the Veeranahosahalli Gate of Nagarahole Reserve Forest this morning.

While the radio collared elephant has stayed put inside the compound of Nagapura High School, two other wild elephants are outside the school. After entering Nagapura, the three wild elephants have damaged the electric switch boards of pump sets and as villagers began to crowd the place, the Forest Department personnel are waiting for the crowd to disperse to drive the elephants back to the forest with the help of tamed elephant Gopalaswamy.

Yesterday morning, a herd of 10 wild elephants had stayed put near Nagapura High School on Nagarahole Reserve Forest Main Road.

As the Forest Department staff were unable to drive the elephants back to the forest, they had summoned tamed elephant Gopalaswamy from Kolavige Elephant Camp to the spot and made attempts to drive the elephants. While six elephants went back to the forest, four elephants did not budge and stayed put at the spot. Veeranahosahalli Range Forest Officer Naman Narayana and staff waited for the sun to set, so that they could drive the four wild elephants back to the forest. But these elephants began to move on Hunsur Main Road and stood on the middle of the road causing inconvenience to students and motorists for some time.

As the crowd began to swell, the forest staff, unable to drive the elephants back, waited till evening and when they tried to drive them to the forest, one of the elephants got separated from the herd and damaged a forest vehicle and a house. The lone elephant later raided a coconut plantation and entered the forest near the Forest Department quarters. Finally, the Forest Department personnel succeeded in driving the remaining wild elephants into the forests last night.