A herd of elephants ransacked a field and damaged a house at Cauvery Tank Thottam in Theethipalayam here early this morning. Luckily the inmates escaped unhurt. The herd completely damaged the iron gates in the front of the house, the wooden door and the glass windows.

According to R. Srinivasan (61), whose house was damaged, he and his wife were sleeping when the herd from the nearby forests raided their farm. “There were three calves and seven adults. While eight of them were eating the corn plants in the farm, two elephants were looking out for rice,” he said. “But they gave up after breaking the doors.”

Hearing the commotion, Srinivasan’s neighbours raised alarm following which the herd slowly moved into the village and later into reserve forest.

Residents claimed elephants entering residential areas have become more frequent these days and requested the forest department to put an end to this.

Meanwhile, Anti-Poaching Watchers of the Coimbatore Division of the Tamil Nadu Forest Department were busy chasing another herd that had entered nearby farms. “Around 27 elephants are currently roaming in the area,” say forest officials.

“Villagers have been asked not to venture out during night times,” they added.