TIRUPATI: A herd of elephants disrupted movement of pilgrims near the Srivari Mettu of Tirumala, close to Srinivasamangapuram in Chandragiri mandal of Tirupati district on Tuesday morning.Forest and TTD security officials immediately stepped in and regulated the movement of pilgrims. The herd, comprising 11 elephants, including four calves, got spotted close to the pump house, leading to commissioning of a drone to track them. Elephants strayed into the nearby agricultural fields and started damaging standing crops. Personnel of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) forest, vigilance and security departments reached the site immediately. They immediately stopped devotees using the Srivari Mettu route at the check-post near Sri Vinayaka Swamy Temple. Subsequently, they allowed devotees to proceed in small groups under the supervision of security personnel. A team of the Forest department eventually managed to drive the herd of elephants back into the woods. Responding to the incident, Deputy Chief Minister K. Pawan Kalyan, who holds the Forest and Environment portfolio, held a teleconference with senior forest department officials and took stock of the situation. The Deputy CM directed officials to strengthen surveillance in all vulnerable villages and issue timely alerts to residents. He said all steps must be taken to keep the elephant herd away from farmlands and ensure its safe return to the forest.
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