Elephant Vs Natarajan
One of the elephants of a herd peeping out of a thorny bush. (Right) Forest officials trying to put one of the injured foresters into comfort at a farm near Chettipalayam where he was attacked by one of the elephants.A herd of four elephants strayed into a thorny bush, near human habitations, on Kanjikonampalayam road, near Chettipalayam, early on Monday.Two foresters who tried to put them back on the migratory track towards the reserve forests sustained injuries, when one of the elephants charged towards them. According to eyewitnesses, the herd consisted of a tusker, two female elephants and a calf.It probably had strayed from the reserve forests in Kovaipudur – Madukkarai area. It was noticed near Kurichi – Sundarapuram area on Sunday night. The police and local villagers tried to chase it back towards the forests.Unfortunately, the scared herd took the opposite direction and travelled close to 20 km from the reserve forests into human habitations. It had marched through residential areas and had even crossed the bypass road before taking shelter at the thorny bush.
On information, the Conservator of Forests, Coimbatore Circle, R. Kannan, and District Forest Officer I. Anwardeen deputed a team of forest officials to spot the pachyderms and plan an operation for putting them back into the reserve forests.S.M. Natarajan and N. Palanisamy, foresters, were attacked by one of the elephants that charged at them in panic reaction. Mr. Anwardeen along with Range Officer A. Soundar Rajan and Forester M. Senthilkumar visited the spot.Mr. Anwardeen told that tribal animal trackers, anti-depredation squad and forest officials from Mettuppalayam and other nearby ranges were being mobilised to chase the herd back into the jungles after 10 p.m.
The authorities have mobilised crackers and powerful search lights to put the herd back on the track towards the forests. The traffic along the bypass road will be stopped at night when the herd was expected to move towards forests.On hearing the news about the elephant herd, people from nearby villages had gathered in large numbers in the morning and the anxious onlookers posed a difficult time for forest officials. The police and volunteers from the Coimbatore District Forest Protection and Environment Society led by N.I. Jalaludeen had a tough time in keeping the crowd under control.
