JOIN USA lone tusker, which had trampled a man to death and had destroyed crops, worth lakhs of rupees, was successfully captured by a team of Forest department personnel, here, on Friday.
The rogue elephant was giving sleepless nights to the people in Dinnalli, Kothuguli, Hoogyam and Minyam villages for past several days. It had attacked a farmer, who was guarding the crops, and had killed him. The jumbo had also destroyed standing crops, causing heavy loss to farmers. So, the residents had demanded the Forest department to take steps to trap the elephant and to translocate it.
As per the directions of B P Ravi, Conservator of Forests, Chamarajanagar Circle, Dasara elephants Arjuna, Abhimanyu, Krishna and Harsha were brought from Dubare and
Thithimathi camps. More than 25 personnel from MM Hill and Cauvery Wildlife division were summoned. The team, under the supervision of DCFs Ramesh Kumar and Malathi Priya began Operation Jumbo on Friday morning.
Upon receiving information that the tusker was spotted near Kothuguli at Hongehalla forest area, the team rushed to the spot and were successful in trapping it, in an operation that lasted for four hours.
DCF Malathi Priya of MM Hill Wildlife Division said, “As per the directions of the Conservator of Forests, the elephant will be temporarily housed at Thithimathi elephant camp.”