Bantwal: Wild elephants take dip in Netravati, spark alarm among villagers

Mangalore Today News Network

Bantwal, Aug 24, 2025: Two wild elephants created a stir on Saturday after they were spotted bathing in the Netravati river at Saralikatte, Perne in Bantwal taluk.

The elephants, which had roamed through plantations and farmlands on Friday night, were seen cooling off in the river the next morning, drawing large crowds of curious villagers. Alarmed residents alerted the forest department, which swiftly deployed teams from Bantwal, Belthangady and Puttur to monitor the animals until late evening.

Forest officials, assisted by police and gram panchayat members, used firecrackers to guide the elephants away from populated areas. By dusk, the duo had reportedly moved towards the Surya forest range.

“This kind of sighting is unusual here. While it was fascinating, it also caused fear among locals and damage concerns for crops,” a panchayat member said.

The forest department has assured continued surveillance to prevent further human-elephant encounters.