Daijiworld Media Network - Mysuru (SP)

Mysuru, Nov 11: A wild elephant that had accounted for seven lives during the last three years and had evaded all efforts to contain its activities, was finally trapped on Thursday November 10. A team led by divisional forest officer, Dr Malathi Priya, achieved this breakthrough within a day of launching the operation.

In the recent past, this elephant had trampled a farmer, Jade Rudraswamy, who was waiting on his Jowar crop, to death on November 5 at Odeyarapalya in Kollegal taluk.

Five elephants trained in taming of wild animals, Abhimanya, Krishna and Drona from Nagarahole, Harsha from Dubare camp, and Gajendra from K Gudi, were pressed into action by officials. After the elephants moved through the forest, finally the officials traced the movement of the violent elephant near Boodabarebetta at around 3.30 am. Thereafter, anesthetist, Dr Venatesh, shot the anesthesia injection at the elephant. Thereafter, the elephant was brought to Andekurubana Doddi camp with the help of the above five elephants and over 40 staff.

It took over an hour for the elephant to be loaded onto the truck. People had gathered in large numbers to witness the operation. They clapped enthusiastically at the end, hailing the forest department. Specialist veterinarian of Nagarahole, Dr Umashanker, chief conservator of forests, P Ravi, Dr Malathi Priya, assistant conservator of forests, Anupama, Shivaramayya, range forest officer, Ankaraju and many other staff of forest department and elephant camp were present.

Malathi Priya said that the forest department has met its promise of catching this elephant, which will be kept in an elephant camp for the present. She said that with this, the farmers of the region have been relieved of a constant fear of attack by the elephant.