A herd of eight elephants on Monday set off panic as they ventured close to Mysore city, but stopped short of entering it.
The herd which included three tuskers and a calf were spotted in a coconut plantation belonging to one Nazir Ahmed at around 6.30 am near Chitravana Resort on H D Kote Road, which is around 8 km from the heart of the city. The Forest and Police Departments were alerted, and on arrival, they cordoned off the area to ensure that people do not venture close to the jumbos and provoke them. The personnel found it difficult to control some villagers who tried to chase the elephants by throwing stones.
A forest official said the herd was from the Bandipur National Park and had been sighted in a village near the forest fringe on Sunday. He also said the herd may have crossed the Kabini river during the night and walked towards Mysore via Bidaragud, Muradagalli, Talur and Kalalavadi villages.
Six forest watchers hired by the Forest Department exclusively to drive elephants back into forests from villages in H D Kote were called in. The kumki elephants and tranquilisers, most of which were involved in two operations to catch the two tigers that killed three people in four days in HD Kote, too were summoned.
Chief Conservator of Forests Markandeya said at around 4.45 pm, forest staff started bursting crackers, and by around 6 pm, the elephants started moving back. To ensure the herd went back into the forest, staff armed with crackers were deployed at key points. The kumki elephants followed them to ensure that they did not stray into other villages.
This is the second time in less than three years that stray jumbos have triggered panic in Mysore. On June 8, 2011, an elephant strayed into the city and killed a man and destroyed properties.
Straying Jumbos Echo in Assembly
Belgaum: The straying of seven elephants into a resort on the outskirts of Mysore was raised in the Assembly. The members cutting across party lines expressed concern over the safety of people. They urged the government to check the wild elephant menace that has become common in Mysore, Hassan, Tumkur and Kolar districts.Deputy opposition leader Y S V Datta criticised the government for spending `10.50 crore for putting up fences, digging trenches and erecting sign boards instead of taking up concrete steps like constructing check-dams, improving water holes and increasing vegetation to address the man-animal conflict.