Elephant from Maharashtra strays into Belagavi, roams for 10 hours

A large tusker, identified as being from a jungle in Maharashtra through its collar ID, was spotted roaming in localities of Belagavi, Karnataka. 

The elephant entered Belagavi through the Bekkinkeri forest zone and wandered through densely populated areas for around 10 hours. The tusker was first seen by morning walkers in Kangrali BK town, and it continued to move through localities like Azam Nagar and Shahu Nagar.

Forest officials, concerned about potential havoc and the safety of residents, successfully drove the elephant back to the forest in Maharashtra from where it entered. The tusker encountered some challenges, including getting stuck in a narrow lane near an English medium school, but managed to navigate through. The officials said that the elephant pulled out a seat cover of a two-wheeler and threw it at a distance. It, however, did not touch any parked vehicles on the roads.

The forest department had prepared for potential risks and had anaesthetic injection pistols on standby. Fortunately, residents cooperated with instructions from the forest officials, helping to avoid any confrontations or harm to the elephant or people.

The forest official mentioned that this particular tusker enters Karnataka once a year, primarily in Kakati, Hatti, and Bekkinkeri forest areas, and typically roams for 7-8 days before returning to Maharashtra. This incident marked the first time the elephant ventured into Belagavi.