Mysuru: A wild elephant, aged around 42-45 years, got trapped in a railway barricade with cement blocks early this morning near Hosakatte close to Madaganuru in the Veeranahosahalli forest area of Hunsur taluk, Mysuru district.

The tusker, known locally as the ‘crop raider,’ remained stuck for nearly five hours before being rescued by the Forest Department with the help of an earthmover.

Such railway barricades with cement blocks are built at places where there is a water body. The tusker had been radio-collared and relocated to the Karnataka-Kerala border two years ago to mitigate its crop-raiding activities. Despite this, it returned to its original habitat and had been damaging paddy and ragi crops in nearby villages for the past 15 days.

Last night, the elephant ventured out of the forest into Hosakatte village in search of food. While attempting to cross back to the forest near a lake around 5 am today, it became tightly wedged in the barricade. Villagers, who visited the area alarmed by the tusker’s loud trumpeting and visible distress, alerted the Forest Department.

A rescue team, led by veterinarian Dr. Ramesh, initially considered tranquillizing the elephant and using a crane to lift it out. However, this plan was abandoned due to concerns that the procedure could cause internal injuries given the tight constraints of the barricade.

The team opted to break one of the concrete pillars using an earth mover. Villagers initially resisted, fearing the broken barricade would create an easier path for elephants to enter their settlements. Officials assured them the pillar would be repaired immediately after the rescue, convincing them to cooperate. Once a single pillar was broken, the tusker’s hind legs were carefully lifted, allowing it to free itself. The elephant, visibly shaken but unharmed, ran back into the forest. The operation concluded at around 7.30 am, ensuring the safety of the elephant.