Daijiworld Media Network – Beltangady

Beltangady, Mar 31: Fear has gripped residents of Kokkada village in Beltangady taluk as incidents of wild elephant attacks have been increasing day by day, with two vehicles recently damaged in separate attacks.

Wild elephants, which have been frequently entering agricultural plantations and areas around houses causing continuous destruction, have now begun targeting vehicles as well, further escalating concerns among villagers.

On the night of March 28, an elephant attacked a parked Maruti car belonging to a plantation worker employed under Yashwanth in the Tenkubailu area, leaving the vehicle badly damaged. In a similar incident on March 29, a two-wheeler parked by Sesappa Gowda near Sankubailu in Mundurpalike was also attacked and damaged by a wild elephant.

In addition to these incidents, elephants have been entering several agricultural fields and causing extensive damage to banana, coconut, arecanut, and paddy crops across the region.

Following these incidents, Uppinangady range forest officer Raghavendra H P and his team visited the affected sites and conducted inspections. Deputy conservator of forests Subbayya Nayak also made a second visit to the affected areas, interacted with victims and locals, and provided information on compensation measures available from the government.

To monitor the movement of wild elephants, an Elephant Task Force team has been deployed. Subbayya Nayak has been personally supervising the team through the night and offering guidance.

The frequent elephant intrusions have disrupted normal life in the village, and residents have urged authorities to take strict action before any major mishap occurs.

Villagers have demanded continuous patrolling, implementation of permanent solutions, and immediate plans to control elephant movement. Meanwhile, the forest department has advised residents to remain highly cautious as a precautionary measure, especially during night hours and while moving near forest areas.