Two wild elephants enter residential area near Mettupalayam

Two wild elephants that strayed out of the forest entered a residential area near Mettupalayam, creating panic among local residents.
Due to the intense summer heat in recent days, forest areas around Mettupalayam are facing severe drought, with natural water sources such as ponds and lakes drying up. As a result, wild animals, including elephants, have been venturing out of the forest in search of food and water, leading to increased human–wildlife conflict.
Late on Saturday night, two elephants that came out of the forest in the Mundhri Mookugu area near the Kallar railway gate on the Mettupalayam–Ooty Road entered a nearby residential locality.
Shocked residents immediately informed the Mettupalayam Forest Department.
Forest officials rushed to the spot and drove the elephants back into the dense forest.
Residents in the area said wild elephants have been roaming near residential localities during the night, causing fear among the public.
Locals recorded the incident on their mobile phones and shared the videos on social media, where they are now widely circulating.
With the summer season setting in and forest areas drying up, residents have urged the Forest Department to intensify night patrols to prevent wild animals from entering residential areas.