IN PICS | How to tame a wild elephant run amok

A lone tusker that strayed into Coimbatore city from a forest a few kilometres away and ran amok, killing four people and injuring others, was tranquilised by forest officials in a full-day operation.

Forest veterinarian Manoharan explains to district collector T N Hariharan how the wild elephant would be tranquilised. Also seen are District Forest Officer Ramasubramaniyam, at Vellalore in Coimbatore on Friday, June 2. (Prakash Chellamuthu | Express Ph 

Crowds gathered atop the roof of a house in the residential area, where the lone tusker had strayed into and wreaked havoc, watch as a kumki (tamed helper) elephant takes part in the operation to tranquilise the wild one. (Prakash Chellamuthu | Express Photo Service)

Kumki elephant Paari and its mahout take part in the effort to shoot the wild elephant with a tranquiliser so that it can be shifted from the residential area and released back into the wild where it belongs. (Prakash Chellamuthu | Express Photo Service)

Finally, a sight of the lone tusker. The wild elephant is now in a drowsy state with the tranquiliser shot having hit its target and doing its job. Waiting forest officials cautiously peer from behind earth-mover vehicles. Kumki elephant Paari and its mahout take part in the effort to shoot the wild elephant with a tranquiliser so that it can be shifted from the residential area and released back into the wild where it belongs. (Prakash Chellamuthu | Express Photo Service)

The drowsy tusker, barely standing, belies his wild temperament from last night when he killed four humans who happened to be in his path and injured others. (Prakash Chellamuthu | Express Photo Service)

A large crowd flocks to the scene of the excitement, watching from the ground and from safe rooftops, to see how the rogue elephant is finally overpowered. Forest officials used kumki elephants and with the help of a tranquiliser shot got the wild one to calm down, after which it was taken away in a vehicle to the forest where it belongs. (Prakash Chellamuthu | Express Photo Service)

Forest officials, with the help of kumki Paari, tie up the now tranquilised rogue elephant firmly to the truck in which it is to be transported back to the jungle. (Prakash Chellamuthu | Express Photo Service)

Surrender at last: The tranquilised wild elephant had no choice but to submit, in its semi-conscious state, as it was tied up and hauled into a lorry that transported back to its home in the wild. (Prakash Chellamuthu | Express Photo Service)