A giant tusker ambling along villages on the periphery of Nagarahole National Park in Hunsur taluk of Mysuru district sauntered into a high school sending children and teachers racing into classrooms for safety, on February 3.
The incident took place when students and staff of the government high school at Nagapura on the outskirts of the national park were preparing for the morning assembly and prayer.
Block Education Officer of Hunsur Nagaraj, who confirmed the incident, said the high school has about 100 students. Most of them are from the local villages and tribal hamlets.
"On being alerted by their teachers about the elephant, all of them rushed into classrooms and shut the door. None of them stepped out till the elephant had left the campus,” he said.
He said the elephant kicked open the gate and entered the campus. It moved towards the cycle stand and damaged a few cycles, apart from a two-wheeler before leaving the campus.
Though located very close to the national park, this is the first time that an elephant has walked into the school campus when the students were present. In an earlier incident, an elephant had entered a school, which was closed due to holidays, Mr. Nagaraj said.
School authorities will approach the Forest Department to seek funds to repair the gate and for other damages, he added.
Officials are trying to ascertain if it is the same elephant that trampled and killed a farmer on the night of February 2 in Kolavige village bordering the national park.
