Officials of the Kerala Forest and Wildlife Department drove back into the forest two of the three wild elephants that had strayed into human habitations in Vythiri and Chelode areas in Wayanad district, on Wednesday. The two ‘makhanas’ (male elephants without tusk) and a lone baby tusker had been posing a threat to the people for the past several days.
The operation was initiated after an 84-year-old man at Thailakkunnu near Vythiri was attacked by the tusker in front of the man’s house under the Meppadi forest range of South Wayanad Forest Division in the early hours of Tuesday.
An infuriated mob gheraoed officials of Kunnathidavaka village office at Vythiri on Tuesday evening demanding protection.
“We drove away the two makhanas from a human habitation at Chelode around 3.30 p.m., but we could not trace the lone tusker, as it might have entered the forest after the attack,” D. Harilal, Forest Range Officer, Meppadi range, told The Hindu.
It took around six hours to chase the elephants into the forest by bursting crackers, sounding drums, and firing guns. As many as 55 frontline forest staff, including members of the rapid response team of the Forest department, participated in the operation led by Mr. Harilal.
The entry of the animals into some thickly populated areas raised anxiety among people. Later, the jumbos entered the adjoining Vattakundu forest, nearly 7 km away from the human habitat. But no destruction of property was reported. The elephants also did not attack humans, though they crossed many village roads.
A police team led by K. Yeldo, Sub Inspector, assisted the forest team. South Wayanad Forest Divisional Officer Shajana Kareem supervised the operations.
