Siddapura (Kodagu): In some relief for coffee planters, estate workers and the general public in the Siddapura, Guhya and surrounding areas in Kodagu district, the Forest officials yesterday captured a wild tusker that had killed coffee planter Ganapathy (Gappu) at Siddapura.
According to villagers and officials, the tusker had killed three people in the region, including Ganapathy.
Department officials roped in tamed elephants Sugreeva, Prashantha, Kanjan, Harsha, Aiyappa and Dhananjaya from Dubare Elephant Camp for the operation.
During the operation, the tusker was found inside a coffee estate at Ammathi. However, on noticing the tamed elephants, the wild elephant panicked and escaped.
The Forest officials chased the elephant for about 9 kms and traced it at a coffee estate near Pollibetta. Again, the elephant escaped through the Yemmegundi Estate route and was spotted at a coffee estate located in the Chennayyanakote region.
Soon, it was tranquilised by sharpshooter Deputy Range Forest Officer (DRFO) Ranjan and Veterinarian Ramesh.
Later, with the help of the tamed elephants, ropes were tied around the captured elephant before shifting it to the main road.
Following this, the tusker was shifted to a truck using a crane and was transported to Dubare Elephant Camp and later shifted to Ramapura Elephant Camp in Bandipur and released back into the wild.
Chief Conservator of Forests (Kodagu Circle) Sonal Vrishni, Madikeri DCF Abhishek, Virajpet DCF Jagannath, ACFs Tasleema Banu and Gopal, RFOs Sriram and Gangadhar and others were present.
It may be recalled that following the death of coffee planter Ganapathy at Siddapura on Mar. 12, leaders of political parties, coffee planters, estate workers and the general public had staged a protest against the Forest Department in front of the mortuary in Siddapura yesterday, demanding immediate action to curb the wild elephant menace.
Virajpet MLA A.S. Ponnanna had also instructed the Forest officials to initiate measures to capture the rogue elephant.
