Elephants chased into forest

CHAMARAJANAGAR: Forest officials helped by villagers have managed to chase away a herd of elephants that strayed into a village in the Omkar Range of Bandipur National Park and destroyed standing crops and disrupted farming activities.The villagers of Kurubarahundi, Manchahalli, Baragi, Srirampura, Hosapura, Horeyala, Channavadianapura, Yadavanahalli and surrounding villages spent many a sleepless night beating drums and bursting firecrackers to scare away the elephants.One Basave Gowda of Honakanapura village who was attacked by an elephant is recovering at a hospital in Gundlupet. The people who led the activities numbered 70 in five groups and were led by DFO Hanumanthappa