A 75-member-team comprising veterinarians and forest officials have been deployed by the Tamil Nadu Forest Department to capture a wild elephant 'Karuppan' that has been wrecking havoc in Thalavadi and Jeeahali forest ranges for over a year. Two Kumki elephants 'Sujay' and 'Bomman' are already included in the team to capture the rogue elephant. Forest Department sources told IANS that retired veterinarian, Dr NV Manoharan is also in the team.
Forest Department officials said that they have been tracking the elephant and after finding the terrain suitable, a tranquilliser dart would be fired at it. They also said that they were tracking the elephant, but since the terrain through which it was moving is a "hostile area", the team is not proceeding with the move to dart it.
The state Forest Department had tried to capture the elephant during January in 'Operation Black' but failed. The elephant was even hit with a tranquiliser dart but eluded his pursuers by going into the deep forest and mingling with a herd. While local villagers allege that the elephant had killed people, the Forest Department has not confirmed this. However, they agree that 'Karuppan' has been destroying crops and damaging houses and buildings in human settlements.