Farmers troubled by wild elephant violence

Chittoor: Wild elephants are becoming a cause of trouble for farmers in Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh.
For more than a month, farmers in Krishnapuram, Motlapalli, Javunipalli, Mittur and other places are worried as wild elephants continue to wreak havoc.

On Sunday night and Monday morning, the devastation worsened when a group of around 13 elephants entered the fields of Venkatagirikota and destroyed crops and mango trees, causing huge damage, locals complained.

Now, there is an even bigger problem as a herd of 70 elephants is moving towards the Karnataka border, forcing the Karnataka Police to declare high alert in the border villages.

Kolar police officials are monitoring surveillance efforts, stressing the need for caution among residents. They advise people to avoid visiting village boundaries and fields.
Range forest officer (RFO) Rakesh said, “We have advised people to avoid visiting village boundaries and fields, especially at night.”

In response to the growing threat, the Kuppam Forest Department has started patrolling with animal trackers to monitor and address the potential threat posed by the growing herd of elephants.
As farmers struggle to protect their crops, local officials said they are making efforts to reduce the impact of the elephant threat on both agriculture and community safety.