Wild tuskers clash in Bikkodu in Belur taluk

Panic set in among the residents of Bikkodu village in Belur taluk on Sunday (November 9) morning as two wild tuskers engaged in a fierce fight within the residential area.

The elephants, named Bhima and Captain by local people, came face to face and hit each other. One of Bhima’s tusks broke and was disjointed in the fight. Despite being terrified, the local clicked photos and captured videos of the encounter from safe vantage points. One of the elephants smashed a polyethylene water tank placed near the house.

The Elephant Task Force personnel, who were tracking the movement of the elephants, were also at the spot, and tried to drive the wild animals away from the village.

Sourabh Kumar, Deputy Conservator of Forests of the Hassan division, told The Hindu that the fights between wild tuskers were quite common. They fight over territory. “As the fight happened in human habitat, the local people were worried. Our staff has been tracking the elephants, both on the ground and with the help of drones. By afternoon, the tuskers had moved to an acacia plantation,” the officer said. The staff recovered the broken tusk from the spot.

Many wild elephants have been roaming in parts of Sakaleshpur, Belur and Alur taluks of Hassan districts. Often, they raid agricultural fields, damaging the crop. Many people have also died in elephant attacks in the district.