Staff of the Forest Department, with the help of tamed elephants, successfully captured a wild elephant that is suspected to have recently trampled two people to death in Alur and Sakaleshpur taluks on Tuesday.
A team of tamed elephants — Abhimanyu, Arjun, Krishna and Harsha — reached the camp at Magadihalli, set up to handle the capture, on Monday evening. The watchers and forest guards were following the movement of the animal and they traced it at noon. The operation, which began on Tuesday, ended within hours.
According to the staff involved in the operation, capturing the 30-year-old animal was tough as it was strong, but Venkatesh, a forest guard who is an expert in shooting tranquillizer darts, successfully carried out the operation.
Later, the elephant was taken to Nagarahole elephant camp. Deputy Conservator of Forests M.L. Manjunath said he has written to the Forest Department asking permission to capture 26 other elephants roaming around in Sakaleshpur and Alur taluks.
