An elephant calf in search of its mother at Karada village near Napoklu.
Credit: DH Photo
Napoklu: In a tragic incident on Tuesday night at Karada village near here, a wild elephant that had strayed into the area in search of food fell into a sludge pit.
The incident occurred near a resort owned by Patrapanda Jagadeesh, a resident of nearby Chelavara village.
The wild elephant and her calf were roaming in the area and the former accidentally stepped on a slab covering the sludge pit. The slab gave way, causing the elephant to fall in.
The elephant struggled all night but could not climb out. On Wednesday morning, local dogs began barking at the trapped elephant, drawing attention to the incident.
The distressed calf tried desperately to help its mother, and in a state of confusion, managed to climb out of the pit and run away. Now, the mother and calf have been separated and lost their way.
The mother elephant is roaming in Beppudiyanda forest near Keemalekadu, while the calf, in search of its mother, is crying and running along the road and through the plantation of Bachamanda family in Chelavara. The movement of elephants has created panic among villagers.
Forest officials arrived at the scene in the morning, assessed the situation and assured locals that the mother and calf might reunite by night.