Five wild elephants raid paddy fields in Karnataka’s Sagar taluk

A herd of five wild elephants has been roaming paddy fields at Kudigere, Nadavalli Sampalli and neighbouring villages in Karnataka’s Sagar taluk, and Forest Department staff are now working to push them back into the forest. The sighting was reported on October 29, 2026, in Shivamogga district.

Villagers did not wait for help to arrive before acting. They recorded videos of the animals raiding crops and alerted Forest Department officials. The footage and the reports have turned a routine farming day into an unsettling one for families who live close to the fields.

For many residents, the shock comes from how unfamiliar the scene is. Residents said they had not seen elephants in the area in recent memory. A herd moving through open paddy land, in full view of homes, is not something people in these villages expected to witness.

Where the herd is now

Mahamad Fayajuddin, Deputy Conservator of Forests (DCF) of the Sagar Division, said the herd was first spotted near the tail-end of the Ambligola reservoir. The animals have since moved on, and their location is now known with some precision.

According to Fayajuddin, the elephants are currently at Kannur Gudda, a hillock. Forest personnel are patrolling the area around it to keep track of the herd and to prevent it from moving deeper into the villages.

Tomorrow, we will drive them back into the forest from where they entered these villages.

That plan points to a clear route. The herd will not be chased in a random direction. Staff intend to guide the animals back to the same forest edge they used to enter the villages, which is the safest path for both the elephants and the people nearby.

What residents are being asked to do

Officials have appealed to residents to remain cautious during the operation. They have also asked people to cooperate with the Forest Department staff who are carrying out the work on the ground.

That appeal matters because elephants are large, unpredictable animals, and crowds or curious onlookers can make a tense situation harder to manage. Staying clear of the herd and following instructions from forest personnel are the immediate priorities while the animals are being moved.

A rare sight that caught villages off guard

The most striking detail in the reports is the lack of familiarity. Residents described the arrival of the herd as unexpected, and they said they could not remember elephants in the area for a long time. That makes this episode more than a crop-damage report. It is a moment when a community suddenly finds itself face to face with wild animals that have not been part of daily life there.

The paddy fields at the centre of the story are where farmers spend much of their time, and the damage to crops adds a practical worry to the fear. Villagers filmed the raid as it happened, which gave the Forest Department a clear record of what was happening while the staff planned their response.

The operation ahead

The Forest Department has started its efforts to drive the animals back. The herd is currently resting on the hillock while personnel keep watch, and the next step is the planned push back into the forest tomorrow.

For now, the story is still unfolding. Residents are watching the fields, officials are patrolling the area, and the herd remains close to the villages it entered. Whether the drive goes as planned will determine how quickly life returns to normal in Kudigere, Nadavalli Sampalli and the surrounding villages.