Wild tusker menace triggers panic in Chittoor villages

Tirupati: The wild tuskers’ menace has come back to haunt the locals and farmers at various villages abutting the forest area in Ramakuppam mandal at Chittoor district.According to the local farmers, two jumbos which got separated from their herd have been going on a rampage, destroying crops at will at several villages in the Ramakuppam mandal over the last two weeks.Farmers stated that the tuskers damaged mango orchards at Naniyala, Jeedimakula Palli, Naniya Thanda, Narayanapuram Thanda and other villages in Ramakuppam mandal and nearby locations in the last fortnight. Though forest dept staff tried to drive away the tuskers deeper into the woods, they came back and continued their rampage through fresh attacks on farmlands abutting the forest area.The forest dept staff have informed the locals and farmers that 12 wild tuskers, split into two herds, have been criss-crossing the reserve forests spread across the three states of Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka over the last few weeks.Locals have been advised to venture out in groups, especially in the early and late hours, owing to the frequent movement of tuskers in and around Naniyala, Naniyala Thanda, and Jeedimakula Palli villages.