Date:11/08/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/08/11/stories/2006081115540400.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

Elephants stray into Channapatna village

Staff Reporter

No damage to property or crops

BANGALORE: A herd of 13 elephants, including three calves, strayed into Koodlur village in Channapatna taluk of Bangalore Rural district on Thursday morning, causing anxiety among people in the village and surrounding areas.

Elephants from Basavanabetta in Muttati reserve forest have been entering adjoining villages for the past 20 days. In the early hours of Thursday, these elephants entered a "vaale thopu" (orchard) at Koodlur village, situated close to the Kanva river, Range Forest Officer (Channapatna) K.B. Sreenivasaiah told The Hindu .

The elephants had probably come to Koodlur, situated some 3 km from Channapatna town, through Kabbalabetta, he said.

Quoting eyewitnesses, a police officer said the elephants passed close to a woman who was putting "rangoli" in front of her house. After being alerted by the villagers, Forest Department personnel and the police rushed to the village and cordoned off the area, restricting the movement of the elephants.

Around 120 policemen and 60 employees of the Forest Department have launched an operation to drive the elephants back into the woods.

By Thursday evening, the forest staff and policemen drove the elephants to Kokkrehosalli, about two km from the forest. Since the herd has taken refuge inside a sugarcane field, they decided to resume their operation on Friday.

Mr. Sreenivasaiah said the three calves were apparently tired and the herd usually protected them during such occasions.

However, he was sure that the herd would return to the forest at night. The Forest Department staff were keeping a close vigil, he added.