Wild elephants go on rampage again

• Tuskers invade countryside in Chittoor district for the second times in a week
• Hold up rail traffic for over an hour
• As many as 100 personnel of the Forest Department deployed in vulnerable areas

Chittoor: A herd of 18 wild elephants held up movement of trains for an hour at Mittapalli under Kuppam mandal. The elephants mowed down the crops along the railway track.

Locals said the herd from the Tamil Nadu forests crossed into Kuppam around 2 am and started moving along the railway track at Mittapalli, near Kuppam railway station. The Forest officials requested the railway officials to ensure that the rail traffic was slowed down on the Chennai-Bangalore section.

The Kaveri Express was halted for about 15 minutes, allowing the tuskers to cross the tracks. A couple of goods trains were also held up on the section. The officials at Jollarpettai railway junction were informed about the movement of elephants.

The forest officials said a herd of 11 wild elephants were spotted at Balla near Kuppam. Another group had crossed into Tamil Nadu. Crops were trampled down by the pachyderms at long stretches at Avulanattam, Pathichenu, Kusuru and Puligunda hamlets.

The Forest Department deployed nearly 100 personnel and trackers in vulnerable areas. The officials are considering a proposal to deploy experts to tackle the problem.

Only a few days ago, a herd of wild elephants invaded a village in the Kuppam mandal and crushed crops under their feet.