A lonely wild male elephant raided an elephant stable at a circus in Chinkur near Raniganj in West Bengal and wooed one of a female elephant to elope with him.

The 26-year-old tusker smashed through the tin walls of Olympic circus on Wednesday and fell for Savitri, one of the four females in the stable.

The other three female pachyderms-Champa, Bijoli and Sita- have since returned to the circus.

Savitri fled with the tusker, and residents later saw the couple roaming around "much in love" in the nearby Chinkur forests area.

"The male elephant broke into the circus campus and took with him a female elephant. The other three elephants have been brought back by the circus owners whereas one female Savitri is with him," said Jiban Tapadar, a forest department official.

According to wildlife officials, the tusker was separated from its herd from the forests of Jharkhand and wandered into West Bengal. He also created problem in Chittaranjan town a few days ago.

Forest officials said it was mating season and the pachyderm lovers will be allowed to join the wild herd.

However, it was not just the circus owner who was left ruing the loss of Savitri, estimated to be worth four lakhs.

Another female elephant at the circus, known to be very attached to Savitri, has broken down and is pining for her friend.