NILGIRIS: A driver and two passengers, who were heading to Coimbatore airport to take a flight to Chennai, had a narrow escape as they got out of the car on time before a wild elephant attacked the vehicle at Melthattapallam on the Mettupalayam-Kotagiri road on Wednesday evening.
According to forest sources, after noticing the animal crossing the road at 5.30 p.m., the three got out of the taxi and moved to a safe distance. The animal damaged the car’s front portion and back door while searching inside with the trunk.
Also, the animal pushed away the car and pulled off the back doors. Other motorists stopped their vehicles afraid to proceed close to the animal. A team of staff who were diverting another herd of wild animals at Mulloor arrived at Melthattapallam and diverted the elephant inside a gorge.
S Selvaraj, forest range officer, Kotagiri, said “Except for the car, the elephant did not attack any other vehicle or harm humans. Our team has been watching the area for elephant movement, but the lone elephant created a disturbance.” The official also said the animal was not in musth. Due to animal movement, traffic was halted for a while on the road.