Jumbos have a field day in Krishnaiah Doddi village

A herd of over 15 wild elephants raided a 40-acre eucalyptus plantation and a ragi field in Krishnaiah Doddi village located between Anekal and Bannerghatta National Park (BNP) ranges.

BNP’s deputy conservator of forests B Venkatesh said the elephants came out of the forest area to the nearby ragi field on Tuesday night in search of food.

“On Wednesday, we got a call at 8.30am from the villagers about the wild elephants camping in their  fields. It has been found that the elephants came out of the forest on Tuesday night and raided the fields. No injuries were reported. The elephants were driven back to BNP by 3pm,” Venkatesh said.

He said it was normal for elephants to raid private lands abutting forest area or encroached forest land. Based on the extent of damage, compensation would be given. However, no one had come forward so far to claim compensation. Since it was post-harvest season, over 90% of the crops had been harvested and the damage could be minimal.

Officials of the forest department had a tougher time controlling the onlookers than driving away the pachyderms as a 5,000-strong crowd gathered in the fields to watch the drama of the elephants being driven back into the forests.

Forest department officials ensured that no one was injured even as people were inching forward to get a closer view of the wild elephants.