• Attacks two villagers; gores to death two cows
• To be captured and sent to Sakkrebailu Camp 

Gundlupet:  A radio-collared wild tusker from Tamil Nadu attacked two persons, including a farmer and a villager on the outskirts of Bandipur Tiger Reserve yesterday. The injured — Siddaiah and Swamy from Hangala village in Gundlupet taluk — have been admitted to hospitals in Mysuru and their condition is said to be stable. 

The elephant charged towards the youth, who was trying to click a selfie with the animal from close quarters. The incident took place near a pond in Hangala village where the elephant was relaxing. Seeing a radio collar around its neck, the youth thought that it was a tamed elephant. 

Seeing villagers and the youth, the jumbo stormed out of the pond and attacked a 50-year-old Siddaiah who was grazing cattle nearby, after chasing away the youth and his four friends who were attempting to take a selfie. In the process, the elephant lifted 30-year-old Swamy with its trunk and flung him to the ground. 

Two cows were also gored to death by the tusker. 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 yesterday. The elephant took the path from Hundipura, Shivapura, Skandagiri and Parvathamba Hill range.  

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.  

 “The jumbo is moving around the village and we’re keeping tabs on its movement,” said Bandipur Project Tiger Director T. Balachandra. Last month, the same tusker had killed one person from Tamil Nadu in Hosur. After this, the elephant was tranquillised and radio collar was fixed around its neck before releasing it back into the forest. 

He revealed that Chief Wildlife Warden has given permission to capture the elephant and shift it to Sakkrebailu elephant camp near Shivamogga. “The jumbo has been tracked and four tamed elephants led by Abhimanyu, will join the operation to confine the wild elephant from Wednesday (today). Our people are keeping a close watch,” he added.