08 July,2011 06:50 AM IST | | A Correspondent
A 24-year-old pregnant woman had a narrow escape when she came face-to-face with a wild elephant near the Bannerghatta National Park yesterday.
Scare tactics: Police say it was a lone tusker and efforts were initiated
to drive it back into the forest. representation Pic
Lakshmma, who is in her seventh month of pregnancy, ventured into the forest to attend nature's call. Her path crossed with the pachyderms' and she passed as a result of fear.
Luck was on her side and the startled elephant ran into a eucalyptus grove after stray dogs, which had followed the woman started barking. The barking also alerted other factory workers, who found Lakshmma unconscious and rushed her to Indira Hospital.
Both unscathed
According to forest officials, Lakshmma and her child are fine and a scan showed no signs of external or internal injuries to both. They spoke to her at the hospital and learned that she was not attacked by the elephant, but merely passed out after seeing it.
"It was a lone tusker and efforts were initiated to drive it back into the forest. The department also bore the woman's medical expenses," the forest officials added.
The villagers however were quick to offer a different version claiming that the tusker was inside the eucalyptus grove and it chased Lakshmma, who fell into the thick bushes since she was unable to run. Her fall might have also saved her life as the elephant did not attempt to trample her, the villagers told the Bannerghatta police.
