The Forest Department on February 21 launched an operation to capture a wild elephant that caused the death of two persons in Kadaba taluk on February 20. They summoned five tamed and trained elephants from the Dubare and Nagarahole elephant camps to Kadaba in Dakshina Kannada district.
Abhimanyu, Prashanth, Harsha, Kanjan and Mahendra, who are experienced in operations to capture wild elephants, arrived in Kadaba by truck on February 20 night.
Forest Department personnel began the operation by trying to track down the rogue elephant using drones. The tamed elephants were pressed into service for locating the wild elephant.
The operation was led by DCF MY.K. Dinesh Kumar, along with Assistant Conservators of Forest Praveen Kumar and Kishore Kumar, Range Forest Officers N. Manjunath, R. Girish and Raghavendra. Veterinary doctors from Nagarahole and Mangaluru with experience in darting wild animals had joined the operation, according to sources.
Early morning attack
Ranjitha, 21, secretary of Peradka milk society, was on her way to work from Naila when the rogue elephant attacked her around 6.30 a.m. near her house on February 20.
Trade union leader Ramesh Rai, 55, who rushed to her rescue on hearing her screams, was also attacked by the elephant. Both died on the spot, sparking spontaneous protests by people in the region.
Visiting the spot, Deputy Commissioner M.R. Ravi Kumar had announced compensation to victims’ families while Mangaluru Deputy Conservator of Forests (DCF) Y.K. Dinesh Kumar had announced immediate launching of an operation to capture the rogue elephant.
Fresh incident on February 21
In a fresh incident reported on February 21, a rogue elephant reportedly chased a farmer in Perundodi near Kombaru in Kadaba taluk. When the farmer, Mohan, went to his arecanut plantation around 3.30 a.m. to pump water, he encountered the elephant. Fortunately, he was able to run away.
The elephant, according to reports, has damaged plantations in the region, including that of Devaraj in Manibanda Katte village.
