Mysuru: Forest department succeeds in catching rogue tusker

Mysuru: The forest department succeded in capturing a rogue elephant that killed a woman and injured two others in Chikka Beechanahalli village near Hunasur on Friday and averted further danger. The elephant was captured by the forest staff with the help of department elephants and put it in crawl at Dubare elephant camp in Kodagu. A team led by elephant task force head and DCF P Seema, arrived early in the morning along with department elephants Abhimanyu, Bhima, Mahendra, Ganesh and Prashanth to capture the two elephants camped in the Arabithittu forest area near Bilikere.

The rogue elephant was wandering here and there following noise made by large number of villagers. This obstructed the officers to catch the elephant. Seeing the people , the elephant roamed and created havoc in the fields of Chikkabeechanahalli, Doddabeechanahalli, Halladamanuganahalli. The operation was hindered as people were shouting and pushing forward. While the forest staff was moving around among the people, the first attempt to administer anesthetic failed, but by 2.30 pm, the elephant collapsed unconscious in Vasuravara's field at Manuganahalli, Halla, HD Kote taluk.

Mysuru SP Seema Latkar, ASP B N Nandini, Dy SP Mahesh and police personnel who reached the spot blocked the road and controlled the crowd, which helped in the catching operation. The unconscious pachyderm was taken care of, tied with a rope and with the help of villagers and tied legs and pulled up to 300 meters and loaded into a lorry using a crane. At this time, the gathered public heaved sigh of relief exclaiming the elephant was captured through operation.

After the elephant operation, the deceased Chikkamma's body was conducted a post mortem examination at Bilikere hospital, the body was brought to the village and the cremation was performed after the villagers paid their last respects. At this time, the anger of the family and the villagers reached its peak. The villagers expressed outrage against the officials of the forest department.

Meanwhile, Mysore Circle CF Malatipriya, DCF Seema pacified villagers that they will distribute a compensation check of Rs 2.50 lakh in the first phase and give the remaining Rs 12.5 lakh. The pachyderm was involved in breaking several borewells in HD Kote taluk. , it is surprising that elephant came from Nagarhole wild life sanctuary and attacking here..

The rogue elephant killed Chikkamma (55() at Chikka Beechananahalli village of Hunsur taluk on Friday while she was was threshing beans in the field. The elephant also attacked two and both are out of danger. Followed by pressure and protests by villagers the forest department, launched operation to catch elephant and succeeded in it.