NILGIRIS: A tusker created panic among the residents of Nilakottai bazaar near Gudalur after it entered the residential area and damaged a parked car on Friday night.
The animal allegedly entered inside Nilakottai bazaar at around 7 pm from a nearby tea estate and apart from damaging the car, it also raided inside the car through the window and walked around, leaving residents in quandary. A few of the residents captured videos and shared them on social media. Following the information, the forest department staff reached the spot and chased the elephant using plastic bullets. Forest department officials said that except for a car, there were no major damages despite the animal spending more than 20 minutes inside the residential area.
Meanwhile, in another incident, an elephant chased a motorist at Mukkutti near Devarshola. Following both incidents, the Gudalur Forest Department issued a statement mentioning the elephant monitoring camp held at Nilakottai.
Venkatesh Prabhu, Gudalur DFO, said, “Along with Nilakottai, the team headed by ACF Karuppaiyah in which range officers along with RRT and special watchers carried out perambulation in the forest fringe area of Bitherkad and Cherambadi forest ranges.”
Meanwhile, Pon Jayaseelan, Gudalur AIADMK MLA, in a video charged the forest department officials for failing to control elephant intrusion as the residents have been spending sleepless nights. Meanwhile, a video of a TNSTC driver repeatedly honking at a wild elephant approaching the bus on Ooty-Masinagudi road went viral on social media platforms.