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Elephants enter village causing tension

Staff Reporter

THENI: Pannaipuram near Goodalur was tense as two stray elephants entered the village and destroyed standing maize crops.

They stayed into the maize field and did not come out of it. Forest officials rushed to spot and attempted to drive away them. When some persons burst crackers, they ran towards residential colonies. All people were advised to stay inside their houses. Heavy police force was deployed to regulate the crowd and prevent animal invasion. The elephants did not come out of the field till night. Officials have been guarding the field since morning.

They said elephants might have come from the Western Ghats for want of food. Raising crops, attractive to elephants, tempted them to invade the field frequently. Movement of people in Kerala forest too forced them to move towards Tamil Nadu.

The Collector, Rajesh Lakhoni who was inspecting a development works in Periakulam taluk rushed to the spot and monitored the operation. He advised officials not to hurt the animals and drive them back to forest safely.

Meanwhile, farmers appealed to officials to dig a wide gorge along reserve forests or construct an iron fence to prevent animal invasion.

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