The ’makhna’ elephant seen in Maddukarai in Coimbatore district on Wednesday
| Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
A ‘makhna’ elephant that had come out from a forest and had entered human habitations on Tuesday, started exhibiting aggressive behaviour on Wednesday in localities near Maddukarai in Coimbatore district.
At the P.K. Pudur locality, the elephant entered streets and narrow lanes, and destroyed a compound wall to reach a nearby road.
Videos and photographs of the elephant’s movement that were shared on social media platforms revealed panic-stricken local residents yelling at the elephant, and the jumbo trumpeting aggressively in return.
The elephant also damaged the bonnet of a jeep belonging to the Forest Department.
The makhna elephant, Forest Department officials said is the same animal captured from a village in Dharmapuri district earlier this month. The elephant, which had been raiding crops for months, was tranquillised and captured at Palacode in deference to the demand raised by people. It was released at Varakaliyar in the Ulandy Range.
On Tuesday, it left the forest once again, and made its way into residential areas in Pollachi and beyond, causing panic.
Forest Department sources said the elephant’s movement was being constantly monitored, and that the Chief Wildlife Warden was apprised of the situation. Further instructions are awaited on the handling of the elephant.
For now, the field staff of the Forest Department are following the elephant closely and cautioning the local reisdents to keep a safe distance from the animal.
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