Bloodied elephant rampages through Indian city

11.02.2016 19:00

A wild elephant rampaged through towns and villages in west India on Wednesday, smashing homes and sending frightened residents running down the streets.

The panicked elephant was seen covered in blood and cuts as it careered down the streets, crashing into parked cars and trampling motorbikes.

It took several rounds with a tranquilizer gun to stop the elephant in its tracks, as crowds of people gathered to watch from balconies and roof tops.

The elephant had wandered from the Baikunthapur forest, crossing roads and a small river before entering the town of Siliguri in West Bengal state.

It was caught on camera in the nearby village of Ektiasal, with the video showing the beast wandering around and knocking over flimsy huts.

'The elephant entered from a nearby forest area. It has destroyed many houses and people are scared and helpless,' villager Milan Saha said.

Divisional Forest Officer Basab Rai said the female elephant appeared to be a loner, and was likely searching for food when it strayed into the town.

He said it did not attack any people, and appeared to be afraid of anyone approaching. After several hours, it became clear the elephant was unable to find its way back to the forest.

Authorities eventually shot the elephant three times with a tranquilizer gun and used a crane to lift it into a truck once it had calmed down.

It was then taken to a special park for domesticated pachyderms that is maintained by the forest department.

Once the effect of the tranquilizer wore off, authorities planned to return the elephant to the forest, Rai said.

Attacks by elephants have been on the rise in eastern India.

Wildlife experts say the destruction of animal habitats in the country is one of the main reasons for the increase in encounters between wild animals and villagers in rural areas of India.

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