COIMBATORE: Tension gripped Theethipalayam near Perur on Monday after a female elephant entered the area and triggered panic among the residents.
According to forest department officials, the animal separated from its herd and entered the village around 6:30 am. The people stayed indoors for hours till forest officials chased the pachyderm away. Sources said that a herd consisting of six elephants damaged banana and tomato crops, and a house owned by Damodaran at Theethipalayam at 11:30 pm on Sunday.
One of the animals ransacked the utensils kept inside the house. Scared, Damodaran informed the forest department staff over the phone. Based on the information, Madukkarai forest range team diverted the animals. However, the animal moved to another banana plantation at Ayyappan temple.
After over four hours, the staff diverted the herd at Sullar Porukki. However, the female elephant got separated and remained in Theethipalayam. The animal also attacked an Anti-Poaching Watcher (APW) G Nagaraj who tried to divert the animal.
He was injured on his thigh and knee and is undergoing treatment at Coimbatore Medical College and Hospital (CMCH). Further, when the animal attempted to charge at cows on the road, stray dogs started barking and kept the jumbo away from them.
DFO TK Ashok Kumar said, "Our staff provided fruits and water to the animal during control operation on Monday and the animal went into Sullal Porukki in Boluvampatti block reserve forest after 11.30 pm. Three teams were formed to prevent the animal from entering the residential area further. Except for a forest staff, none was injured in the incident."