Elephant driven back into forest after eight-hour operation near Thalavadi

A lone wild elephant that strayed into agricultural fields near Akkurjorai in Thalavadi taluk was driven back into the forest after an eight-hour operation by the Forest Department on Monday (August 24).The elephant, which emerged from the Akkurjorai forest area under the Jeerahalli forest range of the Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve, entered the farms of Shanmugam, Naganna, Kumar and Gurusamy and damaged crops. On noticing the elephant, the farmers alerted the Forest Department. A team reached the spot and began efforts to drive the animal back into the forest.The operation continued for nearly eight hours, with the personnel using a tractor and sirens to move the elephant towards the forest. Finally, the elephant was driven back in the early hours of Monday.Farmers in the area said elephants frequently entered agricultural fields in search of food and water and damaged crops. They urged the Forest Department to assess the damage and provide adequate compensation for the affected crops. They also sought permanent measures to prevent elephants from entering agricultural lands in villages located along the forest fringes. Published - August 24, 2026 05:59 pm IST