Swift action of forest staff saves a couple in Coimbatore

Coimbatore: Timely action by forest department staff in Coimbatore saved the lives of a couple from a wild elephant in the suburbs of Coimbatore late on Tuesday night. According to forest sources, five separate teams of forest staff along with activists have been deployed on duty round-the-clock to drive two problematic crop raiding tuskers and a female along with a calf, that are frequently sighted in human habitats in the suburbs of Coimbatore close to the Western Ghats.

Late on Tuesday night, the female elephant along with its calf entered a brick chamber near Kanuvai- Kalanaickenpalayam. There, it started to knock at and damage the house of a daily-wage laborer Muthusamy from Madurai-Azhagar koil who works in a private brick chamber along with his wife Panaiyammal. 

On seeing the elephant, the couple panicked and hid themselves in a corner of the house after putting out the light. On hearing the noise of elephant trumpeting, neighbors rang up the forest officials, said sources. 

A team of forest staff rushed to the spot and tried to chase away the elephants but in vain. A few APW watchers risked their lives, entered the house, diverted the elephants and rescued the couple.

After 90 minutes, the female along with its calf was driven into the woods by bursting crackers and sounding car horns.

Meanwhile, the same elephant had reportedly also entered the Thiruvalluvar Nagar and Nethaji Nagar areas near Kanuvai a few days ago, triggering panic among the residents. 

The scared residents have urged the Forest department to provide necessary protection from wild elephants that enter human habitat frequently.