Elephant herd destroys crops

A herd of three elephants, including a baby, damaged a few acres of crops at Theethipalayam and Kalampalayam villages in Booluvampatti Forest Range, near Thondamuthur, on Saturday. It is learnt that the herd entered the villages through Velankanni Nagar in Theethipalayam and were grazing in the maize fields, during the early hours of the day.  On information from villagers, about 50 forest personnel from Coimbatore and Booluvampatti Range tried to chase the animal by lighting fireworks. But the animals ran from one farm to the other for nearly 12 hours and kept the villagers at bay when they ran near the houses.  Meanwhile, many people from nearby villages also came there to witness the event.  Around 6 in the evening, Kumki elephant Paari from the elephant camp at Chavadi was pressed into service, following which the herd returned to the forest in the late hours of the day.