Wild elephant tramples auto-rickshaw in Karnataka's Belur

Belur (Hassan): A wild elephant caused significant property damage, by trampling an auto-rickshaw parked in front of a house in Kuppugodu village of Belur taluk, on Monday morning.

The vehicle belonged to a resident of Kuppugodu, Krishnappa. According to witnesses, the elephant strayed into the village early in the morning and roamed on the streets for some time, before targeting the parked three-wheeler. Fearing for their lives, Krishnappa’s family members and neighbours remained indoors, watching in horror as the jumbo completely wrecked the vehicle.

The villagers expressed outrage, stating that wild elephant sightings and attacks have become a frequent occurrence in the region. They alleged that besides property damage, the elephants have been consistently destroying standing crops, leading to heavy financial loss for farmers.

Forest department personnel visited the spot, following the incident, and are currently making efforts to drive the elephant back into the forest.