People of Mallappakkonda in Chittoor district in South India watched in disbelief when a herd of 30 elephants marched through their village on January 12.

As the elephants walked across the village for several minutes, villagers started shouting in panic and tried to chase the herd away.

Forest officials said the herd had stepped out of the Sulagiri forest in the neighbouring state of Tamil Nadu.

They assured villagers that they would send the elephants back to the forest.