Farmers distressed as wild elephants create havoc in Andhra's Chittoor; Karnataka border villages on alert

Chittoor (Andhra Pradesh) [India], December 11 : Wild elephants have been causing trouble for farmers in Andhra Pradesh's Chittoor district.
For over a month, farmers in places like Krishnapuram, Motlapalli, Javunipalli, Mittur, and others are worried as wild elephants continue to wreak havoc.
On Sunday night and Monday morning, the destruction got worse when a group of around 13 elephants entered the fields in Venkatagirikota and destroyed crops and mango trees causing huge losses, complained locals.
Now, there's an even bigger problem as a herd of 70 elephants is moving towards the Karnataka border, prompting the Karnataka Police to declare a high alert in border villages.
Kolar police authorities are overseeing the supervision efforts, emphasizing the need for caution among residents. They advise people to avoid venturing into village boundaries and fields.
"We have advised people to avoid venturing into village boundaries and fields, especially during night hours," Rakesh, a range forest officer (RFO) said.
In response to the looming danger, the Kuppam Forest Department has initiated patrols with animal trackers to monitor and address the potential threat posed by the advancing elephant herd.
As farmers grapple with safeguarding their crops, local authorities said that they are making efforts to mitigate the impact of the elephant menace on both agriculture and community safety.