32 wild elephants arrive at Hosur from Karnataka, forest dept tells public to be cautious

COIMBATORE: The forest department in Krishnagiri has warned the public not to venture into forest areas unnecessarily, especially after dark, as a herd of 32 wild elephants has migrated from Karnataka to Hosur's Sanamavu reserve forest area.

Over 100 elephants have migrated from the Bannerghatta forest area in Karnataka to Hosur. According to the forest department official, 32 of them have reached the Sanamavu forest area and have divided themselves into two groups - one herd of 11 elephants, including calves, camping at Bevanatham near Denkanikottai and another herd of 21 elephants camping near Onnakurikki.

As these elephants are likely to stray into farmlands to raid crops and search for water in the adjoining forest cover and nearby villages, the Krishnagiri forest department has urged people not to venture out unnecessarily in the dark.

"So, as a precaution, people were cautioned against venturing out in the dark and especially avoid staying in farms at night in vulnerable areas," the official added. The forest department has also been monitoring the elephant herd to prevent conflict.

In a related freak incident, a wild elephant chased a youth who took a video of the elephant with his cell phone in Thondamuthur on the Coimbatore outskirts. The youth, whose identity is unknown, escaped narrowly by entering a house near the Narasipuram area.