Krishnagiri: A herd of more than 25 wild elephants camped near a roadside lake along the Anchetty–Keratti main road in Krishnagiri district on Saturday morning, causing panic among residents and motorists.The herd was spotted about 3km from Manjimala bus stop. Villagers and passerby watched as the elephants gathered at the lake to cool off in the afternoon heat. “Some residents climbed a roadside tamarind tree to record videos of the herd,” said G Mathesh, one of the villagers.Motorists travelled cautiously as the elephants remained close to the highway. Meanwhile, forest officials reached the spot and warned residents against entering the forest area and advised motorists to exercise extreme caution while travelling on the Anchetty–Keratti road at night.“Teams are closely monitoring the situation, and people have been urged not to venture near the elephant,” said an officer from the Anchetty forest range. He added that efforts are on to drive the herd deep into the forest.
