Wayanad: Three wild tuskers that wandered into the farmlands near the thickly populated Kannankode village at Noolppuzha near Sulthan Bathery on Tuesday were driven back to the forest after three hours.

The animals came from the forest of the Oorankunnu area, which falls under the Muthanga Forest Range of the Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary, and entered human habitats in the Noolppuzha forest range of the South Wayanad Forest Division. 

Feeding on tender paddy, bamboo, and jackfruit, the elephants refused to go back into the jungle early in the morning. The animals wreaked havoc on the farmlands across the region.

As the crowd increased, a team of policemen headed by Inspector Sasidharan Pillai from Noolppuzha police station reached the spot. Soon after, the RRT team from Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary, headed by Muthanga Forest Range Officer Sajnay Kumar, also reached the spot. According to forest officials, police and forest departments joined to drive the animals back to the jungle. 

The forest officials used rubber bullets and threw crackers at the herd. Instead of entering the forest, the elephants crossed the Noolppuzha river and entered the Kottakkuni village.

As the crowd swelled, police struggled to control people advancing towards the animals. To prevent more people from coming to the area, traffic on the Kalloor-Nambikolly road was banned until the mission was over. They also asked local residents to stay at home until the mission was over. 

Meanwhile, one of the elephants tried to attack the cows grazing in the paddy field. The mission was completed by 10 am. 

However, local people demanded a permanent solution for the recurring elephant raids. "The area is known for its large tracts of paddy land. In one night, one herd can ruin the crop of the entire area," said Roshan Thomas, a resident of Noolppuzha. "What we need is a foolproof solution," he said.