A rogue elephant which had been creating a menace for the last one
year in Madukkarai forest range here, killing at least three persons,
was tranquilised and captured early today.
District Forest Officer in charge Periyasamy said the ‘Mission
Madukkarai Maharaj’ operation to translocate the elephant by
tranquilising it officially began yesterday.
The elephant, which used to visit Madukkarai area once a week, had not
been seen since June 8, the day the Principal Chief Conservator of
Forests,ordered its translocation, bowing to pressure from public,
farmers and politicians alike.
Periyasamy said four kumkis (trained and tamed elephants) had been
brought in from different camps in Tamil Nadu in the last week to take
part in the mission.
The officials initially faced a problem as the tusker was seen with
two other elephants. However it got separated from them and was seen
moving around near the military campus around 2 AM this morning.
A tranquiliser shot found its target and the pachyderm became
semi-conscious. The three kumkis then made it get into to a truck at
around 9 AM, he said.
Since the elephant was returning to its normal state, another mild
tranquiliser dose was given. Periyasamy said the elephant has
been taken to Araliyar in Top Slip area, some 20 km from Pollachi in
the district.