COIMBATORE: A lone elephant damaged the doors and windows of a noon-meal centre in the premises of Lower Paralai Estate in Valparai and devoured vegetables and grains stocked inside on Monday night.

The teachers and noon-meal workers, who arrived on Tuesday morning, were shocked to find vast destruction caused by the elephant.

As vessels used for cooking were also damaged, the noon meal staff brought vessels from their own houses to cook and serve food to students.

Villagers recalled three years ago, elephants entered the school premises by damaging the compound wall to raid on essentials in the noon meal centre. The compound wall is yet to be rebuilt.

The workers residing in the estate quarters urged the forest department to enhance monitoring to prevent frequent incidents of elephants straying into the locality in search of food and water.