Annamayya: In a tragic incident, three devotees lost their lives while three others sustained injuries after being attacked by a herd of elephants in the Obulavaripalle forest area of Andhra Pradesh. The incident took place in the early hours of Tuesday when a group of 30 devotees was en route to the famous Talakona temple. According to local police, around 2:30 AM, the group encountered a herd of approximately 15 elephants, which suddenly turned aggressive, resulting in the unfortunate deaths and injuries. Authorities have confirmed that one of the injured individuals is in critical condition, while the other two are out of danger.

The police, along with forest officials, have retrieved the bodies of the deceased and sent them for post-mortem examination. Meanwhile, the surviving devotees, who managed to escape the attack, have been safely escorted back to their respective homes. Officials have urged travelers and devotees to exercise extreme caution while passing through forested areas, especially during nighttime, as elephant encounters have become increasingly common in this region. Preliminary reports suggest that the elephants may have been disturbed or provoked, leading to the tragic confrontation.

Local authorities are now working with forest department officials to assess the situation and implement safety measures to prevent such incidents in the future. Plans are being discussed to enhance patrolling in vulnerable areas and install warning systems for devotees venturing into the forests. This heartbreaking event has once again raised concerns about human-wildlife conflict in Andhra Pradesh’s forest belts, urging officials to find long-term solutions for coexistence between local communities and wildlife.