Nearly 60 elephants have destroyed crops in H D Kote taluk of Mysore district and Linganpura, Arkalvadi of Chamarajanagar taluk on Tuesday night.
About 30 elephants from the neighbouring state of Tamil Nadu are said to have raided the farms in Chamarajanagar taluk in search of fodder. The elephants have destroyed coconuts, plantains, tomatoes and maize. They passed through Yettaiahnakere, Arasanakatte, Linganapura and Arkalvadi.
Chikkananjappa of Linganapura had been given 100 coconut saplings by the watershed development department recently. However, the jumbos have destroyed all the plants.
Farmers said if the forest department staffers fail to assist them in driving away elephants a protest would be held soon. They also demanded that compensation be given out immediately.
More than 30 elephants entered farms and damaged crops in K Yedathore, Hosahalli, Nanjanaykahalli and surrounding villages of H D Kote taluk. The elephants moved into the farms of H C Shivanna, H C Papanna and H Anand at around 2 am on Wednesday.
The pachyderms then attacked four watchmen including Kempaiah, Ganesh, Gangadharaswamy and Mahadev. They were shifted to the taluk hospital for treatment. Crops, including ragi, paddy, turmeric and areca have been destroyed during the raid by the jumbos. Solar fences have also been destroyed.
ACF Thamaiah assured the farmers that suitable compensation would be given at the earliest.
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