Bengaluru: In response to the recent surge in wild elephant movement in Dakshina Kannada district, Forest, Ecology and Environment Minister Eshwar Khandre has approved the formation of a dedicated elephant task force consisting of 48 personnel to drive elephants back into forest areas.

The task force will be headed by the Deputy Conservator of Forests (DCF) of Mangaluru Division. It will include one Assistant Conservator of Forests (ACF), one veterinary officer, one Range Forest Officer, four Deputy Range Forest Officers, eight forest guards, and thirty-two outsourced frontline staff.

The elephant task force will patrol residential areas, farmlands, and plantations close to forest boundaries where wild elephants are sighted. In such cases, the team will act swiftly to drive the elephants back into the forest. It will also alert the district’s control room, which in turn will issue precautionary messages to residents.

Minister Khandre stated that this initiative will help reduce crop damage caused by elephant incursions and prevent potential loss of human life.

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New Delhi (PTI): Delhi Police has recovered 1,850 stolen and lost mobile phones worth around Rs 4 crore in past 40 days under "Mission Reconnect", an initiative aimed at returning phones to their rightful owners in outernorth Delhi, an official said on Saturday.

The recovered phones were traced from different parts of the country, including remote areas, through technical surveillance and sustained field operations, police said, adding that the devices were handed over to their owners during a programme at the Sports Ground, New Police Lines, Kingsway Camp.

The initiative focused on a victim-centric approach and aimed at strengthening public trust through proactive policing and coordinated efforts across states, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Outernorth) Hareshwar Swami said.

As part of the programme, teams performed 'nukkad nataks' and screened awareness videos on cybercrime, drug abuse prevention, and senior citizen safety, sensitising the public about digital frauds and safety measures, officials said.

The initiative combines technology, investigation and community participation to ensure recovery of lost property and reconnect citizens with their valuables, they added.