NILGIRIS: Coonoor forest range staff are closely watching the movement of wild elephants approaching human habitations at Burliyar. Three special teams have been formed after three elephants were spotted in the surroundings of Burliyar, likely attracted by the smell of jackfruit.
It is suspected one of these elephants attacked a 50-year-old man, Anthony, on Monday morning. Locals admitted him to the Udagamandalam government hospital. In another incident, one elephant tried to enter the house of a couple, David and Sreeja, by trying to break the door at night.
The couple woke up and hid in a room. "One of the animals extended its trunk inside after breaking the door. The trunk touched us when we were sleeping near the door. Fearing it would drag us, we ran away and took shelter inside the room. After 10 minutes, the elephant left the place as it couldn't get anything to eat," they said.
The forest department advised the residents to avoid coming out of the house at night and remove jackfruits.