“We spotted the jumbo on Friday morning after P Sekar, a farmer from Sikkalli Ikkalur village near Thalavadi in Erode district alerted us,” forest officials said. They believe the jumbo to have come from Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve in search of food and water.
According to forest officials, the elephant seemed very weak and unable to walk even a short distance. “The elephant strayed out of the forest in search of food and water. We spotted the animal as it drank water from a water body. Soon after it drank water, it fainted,” said a forest officer. A team of veterinarians rushed to the spot same afternoon and initiated medical assistance. “We have administered vitamin injections and six bottles of glucose. We are trying our best to save the elephant,” the doctors said.
The forest officials initially planned to shift the elephant from the agricultural land to their treatment centre. However, since the animal was too weak to be moved, they decided to treat it on the spot.