Efforts by the Forest Department to tranquillise and radio-collar the wild elephant, nicknamed Baahubali, near Mettupalayam did not yield results for the second day on Monday.
The elephant, which remained in Sirumugai forest range limits, crossed the Kotagiri road on Sunday evening and entered the Mettupalayam forest range limits.
Three teams of veterinarians, along with field staff of the department, stayed at different locations in the forest to prevent the elephant from moving uphill towards the Nilgiris via Kallar. Though one of the veterinarians fired a dart at the elephant, it did not hit the target due to obstructions caused by bushes.
The elephant remained inside the forest behind the timber depot of the department till evening on Monday. It crossed the Kotagiri road around 5.30 p.m. and entered the limits of the Sirumugai forest range, from where it had come to the Mettupalayam side.
Though a fourth veterinarian was posted on the Kotagiri road with a dart gun, the tusker crossed the road and entered the forest before he could spot the animal. District Forest Officer D. Venkatesh said the elephant was very agile. It was moving through new places after multiple teams started monitoring it, he said.
Mr. Venkatesh added that the efforts to tranquillise the elephant would continue.
