Hyderabad: The sub-adult rogue elephant that had trampled two farmers to death in the last two days in Kumuram Bheem Asifabad district was last seen wandering close to Maharashtra border on Friday evening.
The tusker that had strayed into Telangana is expected to go back into Maharashtra forest late in the night of Friday. The protocol that has been in place will continue till Saturday afternoon until the tusker goes at least 10 to 15 kms deep into the forest on Maharashtra side.
"The elephant has been sighted close to the Maharashtra border wandering there. It is proceeding towards Maharashtra forest and is expected to enter the forest by midnight. Our teams will continue to track the movement of the elephant until it reaches at least 10 to 15 kms deep into the forest on the Maharashtra side. Protocols will continue until then,” Kawal Tiger Reserve Field Director S Shantharam told DH.
Kawal Tiger Reserve teams have been monitoring the movements of the elephant that had entered Telangana’s Asifabad district from Maharashtra on Wednesday, crossing Pranahita river. The tiger reserve authorities have formed at least three special teams to send the elephant back into the wild.
Special teams, including special expert hula party from Maharashtra were roped in to chase away the elephant. The elephant was walking briskly, covering a distance of anywhere between 20 to 30 kms a day, Shantharam said.
For the last three days, panic gripped 20 villages of Chintalamanepalli, Bejjur, Penchikalpet and Dahegaon mandals, which share a border with Maharashtra. Forest officials have carried out extensive tom-tomming, asking people not to come out of their homes. Section 144 of CrPC was also imposed to restrict the movement of people.
The tusker has killed two farmers and destroyed paddy farms in the last two days.
Published 05 April 2024, 15:58 IST