Tamed elephants catch a rogue pachyderm

The forest department captured a rogue elephant which had claimed the life of a labourer, at Hosalli in Polibetta on Monday. The officials with the help of tamed elephants struggled for two hours to capture the rogue elephant.

The 24-year-old male elephant was caught after injecting tranquilizers. “The caught elephant will be shifted to other place after we get an order from the higher officials,” said Thithimathi ACF Alexander.

It was said that the elephant was roaming in and around Hosahalli coffee estate and its surrounding areas in Polibetta for the last one year. It had trampled a labourer Mahadeva to death last year in the estate and had created fear among the estate labourers in the region. Even two-wheeler riders and pedestrians were scared of the wild elephant which was roaming in the region.

Owing to the pressure from the villagers, the Forest department sought the help to capture wild elephant from the Central government 20 days ago. The operation which began at 3 pm concluded at 5 pm. The elephant had ran for 3 kilometres in and around the region before it was tranquilised.

Five wild elephants along with a calf which was in the region had fled the spot during the operation.

Veterinary doctor Chittiappa, ACF Kantharaju, Thithimathi RFO Gopalakrishna, 30 forest department staff along with six tamed elephants took part in the rogue elephant catching operation.