They had terrorised over 30 villages in Mysuru, Hunsur, K.R. Nagar belts

Mysore/Mysuru: A wild tusker which had terrorised the villagers of Hunsur, Mysuru and K.R. Nagar taluk was captured inside the Arabithittu Reserve Forest near Bilikere yesterday.

After going on a rampage in the hinterland and damaging standing crops and stored grains in over 30 villages, the elephant had taken shelter inside Arabithittu. After the capture, a radio collar has been fitted on the tusker before releasing it to the Nagarahole Tiger Reserve.

In all, three marauding tuskers in Hunsur, K.R. Nagar and Mysuru taluks have been successfully captured by the Forest Department staff, bringing relief to the villagers. In fact, this is the third elephant that was captured within a span of four days.

While one elephant was captured on the evening of Dec. 31, the other elephant, a 30-year-old tusker was captured on Jan. 2, Monday. The first elephant with crossed tusks that had killed a woman in the rural belt was captured on Dec. 30.

These elephants had strayed out of the jungles one-and-a-half months back and had raided the standing crops in the villages of Jayapura, Sheelanakere and surrounding areas. Though the Department staff had conducted continuous combing operations, the tuskers remained elusive and had taken shelter at Arabithittu.

Following orders from the higher officers, it was decided to tranquillise the elephant and capture it at Arabithittu. Combing specialist, the daring Abhimanyu, led the operation with other elephants Bhima, Mahendra, Prashanth and Ganesh.

The forest team led by sharp-shooter Akram was able to fire the tranquilliser dart at 12 noon and after the tusker fell, it was bound by ropes to restrain it. Later, a radio collar was fixed on the elephant and was loaded onto a truck with the help of a crane.

Hunsur Division Deputy Conservator of Forests P.A. Seema said that the team was able to capture three wild elephants within a span of four days and the residents of over 30 villages can now heave a sigh of relief. 

ACF Anusha, RFO Nandakumar, veterinarians Dr. Ramesh and Dr. Mujeeb and other officers were present.