After 'Karuppan', now elephant 'Bahubali' creates problems for farmers

Chennai, April 12 (IANS) While the Tamil Nadu forest department is in the process of catching the rogue tusker, 'Karuppan' in Erode area, it is confronting with another tusker, 'Bahubali' who is destroying crops and livelihood in border areas.

The Tamil Nadu forest department has deputed a group of foresters to prevent the entry of the elephant to the farm lands as it has been destroying crops including maize, banana and aracenut during its frequent forays into the agricultural fields.

Bahubali is now spotted even during day time at Samayapuram village in Mettupalayam area of Coimbatore district.

R. Velmurugan, a farmer at Samayapram, told IANS, "Bahubali created havoc here two years before and the forest department had then tried to capture him, but it did not materliase. However, now it has come back after two years and is spotted even during day time. We demand the forest department to capture the elephant."

The wild tusker, according to Mettupalayam range forest officials is moving inside the forest area adjacent to Samayapuram, Nellithurai and Nellimalai.

Forest officials told IANS that the animal has come out of the forest land in March even as water is available in the forest area where it is located. The forest department said that it was studying the behavioural practices of this particular elephant. Maize is a major attraction for the elephant and it is grown in good quantities on the banks of the Bhavanisagar river in the Mettupalayam area.

However, the forest officials said that the animal is presently quiet and has not inflicted injuries on humans. The forest department officials also said that the elephant has to be either radio-collared and sent deep inside the forest or captured and converted into a kumki elephant.

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