Jumbo breaks into shop eats 75kg tamarind in 30 minutes
NILGIRIS: The scenic Masinagudi town in the Nilgiris has come under wild elephant forays, unsettling residents. In the wee hours of Thursday, an elephant entered a cooperative society shop and consumed more than 75 kg of tamarind kept for sale.
The animal entered the shop at 1.30 am and was chased away by tribal people in the area after half an hour. R Murugan, the society in-charge, told TNIE that the animal extensively damaged infrastructure like glass, an iron door, a grill, a UPS battery, and wall.
Sources said the animal damaged the cooperative society after failing to break into the nearby ration shop. “The ration shop at Moyar Road was shifted near to the cooperative shop after it was often targeted by wild elephants. Hearing the sound, tribal people chased away the jumbo after half an hour,” he said.
Last month, a wild elephant attacked a grocery shop in the area. Also, a jumbo damaged a house at Dodlingi. It is yet to be ascertained if the incidents involved more than one elephant.
“People’s safety is compromised as wild animals roam in residential areas,” said a resident. “Solar fences should be installed around the periphery of the villages to prevent the entry of wild animals. Elephant-proof trenches should also be set up around villages,” said another resident.
In another incident at IOB Colony in Maruthamalai foothills, three wild elephants entered a cattle shed and consumed cattle feed. A CCTV footage of this went viral on social media.
