Daijiworld Media Network - Sullia

Sullia, Aug 4: A herd of wild elephants, which had been repeatedly raiding agricultural fields in rural parts of Sullia, has now ventured into the town limits, causing extensive damage to crops and triggering panic among residents.

The herd, comprising around six elephants, had reportedly been camping in the Kandadka area for the past four to five days. Late on Sunday night, the elephants entered agricultural plantations in the Neerabidire area within Sullia town after descending from the Karnataka Forest Development Corporation (KFDC) forest region.

The elephants moved through plantations during the night, trampling and destroying standing crops. Plantations belonging to Madaka Koragappa Gowda and Dr Ganesh Bhat suffered significant damage in the raid.

According to local residents, the elephants remained in the plantations throughout the night before moving towards a nearby rubber estate in the early hours of Monday. Residents captured videos of the herd, including a calf, on their mobile phones.

The presence of wild elephants in a densely populated area has heightened fear among local residents. With a calf among the herd, people fear the animals could become aggressive and pose a threat to human life.

Schoolchildren, morning walkers and farmers have been advised to remain cautious as the elephants continue to move around the area.

Forest department personnel visited the spot after receiving information about the incident. However, local residents alleged that no effective measures have yet been taken to safely drive the elephants back into the forest, raising concerns over public safety and the protection of agricultural lands.