Kalpetta: Rogue tusker safely caged
The forest department which faced the wrath of Vadakkanad villagers on the jungle fringes had finally decided to capture the animal at any cost.
Kalpetta: Vadakkanad Komban captured from the Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary on Monday is safe in the specially made wooden cage at the elephant camp of Muthanga near Sulthan Bathery here.
The forest department which faced the wrath of Vadakkanad villagers on the jungle fringes had finally decided to capture the animal at any cost.
Though the mission started on Sunday with the help of three trained Kumki elephants, vets and the police, the elephant evaded the attempts.
Two darts of tranquillisers fired by eminent vet Dr Arun Zachariah missed the target as it managed to hide amid greenery.
Dr Zachariah said the animal is cool and is taking food and showing no signs of violence.
"There is no need of any special treatment at this point," he told DC.
The elephant had killed three forcing the capture order.
The failure to capture the animal had triggered tension between the forest staff and farmers who allegedly set fire to forests resulting in a massive wildfire that consumed large tracts of the jungle recently.
Radio-collared earlier, the forest personnel had been receiving regular signals indicating its movements.
Vadakkanad Grama Samrakshana Samithy, their action council, had organised a triumphant march shouting slogans hailing foresters on Monday after the capture.
The forest department had captured Kallur Komban (Tusker of Kallur, the village near Muthanga), in 2016.