Panic gripped some areas dotting the Hosur-Krishnagiri National Highway on Wednesday after a lone male elephant entered Hosur town and started running amok, chasing passers-by and felling trees.
The elephant was seen wandering near the manufacturing unit of Ashok Leyland in Sipcot industrial estate phase-II. Fear gripped residents after they saw the rogue animal felling some trees near the factory. A little later its ire turn towards onlookers and suddenly it started chasing them. All of them ran to the highway to escape the jumbo attack.
As a precautionary measure, the personnel at the factory swiftly closed the main gates.
However, the animal, which was on a wild run, tried to demolish the compound and enter the premises. Meanwhile, forest officials managed to drive it away from near the factory. Later, it was seen moving through the bushy areas in Sipcot Phase-II.
According to forest officials, the animal was earlier roaming in Malur and Ramachandra forest regions along Karnataka border.
On Tuesday, it entered into Tamil Nadu and was camping near the Periyamuthali lake. When officials tried to chase the animal back into the forests, the animal entered Sipcot Phase-II.
Krishnagiri District Forest Officer, A K Ulaganathan, said, “We are trying to drive it to the nearby Udedurgam forest by beating drums and bursting crackers. We need to be careful while handling a single elephant, that had separated from its herd.”
Ulaganathan said that officials have taken all precautions to ensure that the elephant does not enter human settlements. Meanwhile, he appealed to the public to not to go near the pachyderm.