A wild elephant named Bahubali entered a banana plantation near Sirumugai, Coimbatore district, at night. After a two-hour struggle, forest officials and farmers successfully drove the elephant back into the forest.
Coimbatore: In a tense encounter that lasted over two hours, forest officials and farmers successfully drove a wild elephant, known as 'Bahubali', back into the forest after it raided a banana plantation near Sirumugai in Coimbatore district.
The incident occurred in Kandavayal village, located at the foothills of the Sirumugai forest range near Mettupalayam. This area is known for frequent elephant movements. Late last night, the elephant entered a banana plantation owned by a farmer named Chinnaraj and began uprooting and eating banana plants.
Alerted by the commotion, Chinnaraj and neighboring farmers immediately informed the Sirumugai Forest Department. A team of forest officials quickly arrived at the scene and joined forces with the local farmers to drive the elephant away.
The group employed various tactics to scare the animal, including using flashlights and making loud noises. After a prolonged effort lasting more than two hours, they finally managed to guide the elephant back into the dense forest area.
Local farmers have expressed concern over the increasing incidents of wild animals, particularly elephants, entering their agricultural lands. They emphasized the need for more effective measures to prevent such incursions, especially during the current season when banana harvesting and planting activities are in full swing.
The farmers have urged the forest department to take proactive steps to keep the elephants within the forest boundaries and prevent them from venturing into farmlands. They fear significant crop damage if immediate action is not taken to address this recurring issue.