Mysuru:  The radio-collared wild tusker from Tamil Nadu that had attacked two persons, including a farmer and a villager on the outskirts of Bandipur Tiger Reserve, has finally been captured this morning. The tusker had also gored to death two cows. The Forest Department had launched an operation to capture the elephant.

The elephant, with a radio collar around its neck, was spotted grazing at Ingalawadi near Bandipur this morning. 

The tusker, however, gave the tracking team the slip. The tusker was later tracked, tranquillised and captured at Padaguru at around 11.45 am. 

Tamed elephants, led by captain Abhimanyu, who has vast experience in elephant and tiger trapping operations, Gopalaswamy and Jayaprakash were involved in the operation.

The tusker was captured in a field and more than 100 villagers cheered as Abhimanyu and other elephants literally locked the wild tusker, without allowing it to move. 

The tamed elephants, armed with ropes, tied down the radio-collared elephant that seemed to be in a dazed state. 

Forest officials said that the tusker will be shifted to Sakkrebailu Elephant Camp at Shivamogga district.

The elephant had been captured near Dharmapuri in Tamil Nadu, radio-collared and released in Mudumalai National Park by the Tamil Nadu Forest Department after it was involved in similar incidents in the neighbouring State.

The authorities were radio-tracking it regularly. However, it was spotted near Hangala, between Bandipur and Gundlupet town. The elephant travelled from Mudumalai to Bandipur and strayed into human habitation.

The Karnataka Forest officials were informed by the Tamil Nadu Forest officials that they had lost contact with the elephant a few days ago owing to a battery issue in the tracking collar.