Dasara jumbos help capture wild tusker

MYSORE: The forest and police authorities, and the villagers of HD Kote on Friday, heaved a sigh of relief when they captured the wild tusker that dampened the festive mood in the area for the last three days.The forest officials tranquilised the 18- year-old wild elephant with the help of Dasara jumbos and veterinary doctor D R Nagar and Dr Prayag, working at the Mysore zoo and took it to Balle Elephant Camp near Bandipur.Dasara elephants Arjuna, Meri and Abhimanyu were first brought here to capture the wild tusker, but as they failed in the mission on Thursday, two more Dasara elephants,  Srirama and Gajendra, were roped in. But, before these two elephants participated in the operation, the wild tusker was captured.The wild elephant, which was found in Doddakere near Belaganahalli On Thursday, stayed there till 6 am on Friday. Suddenly, it started running towards Malara Colony. When the Dasara jumbos tried to capture it, the wild tusker fled from the spot.The authorities, who covered it from the opposite side, fired two rounds of tranquiliser on it. The tusker ran towards a lake and collapsed in a turmeric field.Immediately, forest authorities and veterinary doctors covered the tusker tied legs. Thereafter, with the help of Arjuna, Abhimanyu and Meri, wild tusker was boarded on a lorry. To keep up the temperature of the elephant as normal, water was sprayed on the tusker.The locals appreciated the efforts of forest department and cooperation extended by police as there was no damages to life of public during the four days operation.Mysore Forest Range Officer KB Markandaiah, Deputy Conservator of Forest Manoj Kumar and others were present.