statesman news service
BANGALORE, 24 JUNE: A herd of elephants comprising about 16 pachyderms, including four calves, has been creating near panic for people living on the outskirts of the IT city; even sparking off fears that the mammals just might stray into Bangalore. Already, the wild herd which strayed into Karnataka from neighbouring Tamil Nadu through Kolar, 90 km from Bangalore, has mauled and even killed four people, including a photographer from a local daily who got too close to the animals yesterday in Hoskote, 26 km in rural Bangalore district.
This morning, however, there was utter panic when the herd came close to the city, about 18 kms away, with residents in a host of outlying villages running out of their homes. Experts from the Bannerghatta National Park told the media that the herd appeared to have lost its way searching for food while trying to follow the traditional  elephant corridor, stretching from Bannerghatta National Park to Erode in Tamil Nadu.
The matter assumed urgency with minister of forest, Mr Ramnath Rai, promising immediate action, even arranging for Abimanyu and Arjun, two tame elephants from Mysore to be brought to Bangalore to drive away the wild herd. The elephant duo is normally used in the famous Mysore Dusshera. In addition, Vanraj, another elephant from the Bannerghatta National Park, was used in the drive to herd the elephants into the elephant corridor .
Earlier today, the herd managed to get into the Inventure Academy, an international school. Luckily, the managing trustee, Ms Noorain was quick  to alert the parents to ensure that they did not send their wards to school. While the elephants did damage the school playground, particularly its tennis court, residents living on the outskirts of Sarjapur which houses a host of IT companies, had reason to worry as the pachyderms settled in the nearby forest.
For the worried forest range officials, the onlookers made matters worse with many attempting to crowd the herd. The officials tried hard to keep the crowd at bay, fearing that the elephants might get provoked.
Till late tonight, attempts were on to drive the wild elephants to the Anekal forest area and then through the Bannerghatta National Park. The officials appeared confident that by morning they would be able to succeed in their attempt though they did not rule out the possibility of a few animals making an attempt to stray into the city.
They were, however, quick to point out that every effort had been made to see that this did not happen with adequate arrangements having been put in place.
The people on the outskirts of the city and those within, however, have remained on tenterhooks. More so as last year, a few wild elephants had managed to sneak into Mysore, injuring a few while trampling one
youngster.