Chennai, May 7 (IANS): The Tamil Nadu Forest Department has registered a case against three tribal youths under the Wildlife Protection Act for teasing wild elephants near the Thirumurthy dam settlement area.

The Tiruppur forest officials registered the case following a video showing these youths teasing and hitting wild elephants near Thirumurthy dam settlement in Udumalpet going viral on Thursday morning.

The videos show youngsters throwing stones and slapping wild elephants and another youth running in front of a wild elephant. The video also shows another group of youths sitting on a tree and recording the incidents on a mobile phone.

Forest officials said that preliminary investigation revealed that tribal youths who were in the forest to graze their cattle came across two wild elephants and a calf and started to throw stones at them and slapped them.

The officials said that they came to know of the incident on Wednesday late evening and have registered an FIR against the youths.

Talking to IANS, Tiruppur Forest Range officer Dhanapalan said: "The youths are identified and we have registered a case against them for teasing and slapping the wild elephants which is a dangerous act to both the animals and the youth. They reside in a settlement within the Thirumurthy dam site and we will be arresting them soon."