Wild elephants cause scare in Belagavi district, villagers complain of damage to crops

Teams of the Forest Department are trying to drive wild elephants away from crops in Khanapur taluk in Belagavi district of Karnataka.

Officers, with the help of local farmers, had been conducting night-long combing operations for the past few days to drive a herd of elephants, currently roaming the Khanapur forest sub-division, back into the wild. Driving back the elephants, which have been roaming through paddy fields and damaging crops, has become a challenge for forest officials. The officials have gathered details from farmers whose crops were destroyed.

Deputy Conservator of Forests N. E. Kranthi has appealed to people against shouting, approaching the animals, bursting firecrackers, or attempting any risky action without informing forest officials. “Efforts are underway to successfully guide the herd back into the forest,” he said.

Villagers and officers have spotted at least nine elephants.