KOCHI : A 10-year-old male wild elephant which fell into a well at Kottappady near Kothamangalam was rescued and driven into the forest amid protest by local residents on Friday. A herd of three wild elephants had entered Kottappady, located around 3 km away from the forest boundary on Thursday night. The local residents were woken up by the trumpeting of elephants around 1.30 am and they found the elephant trapped in the rectangular well on the farmland of Kunjappan, an autorickshaw driver at Plachery.
The forest department razed a portion of the well and facilitated the elephant to climb out of the well around 5.35 pm ending the 16-hour-long ordeal. The elephant was driven to the forest bursting crackers and the people in the area were evacuated to ensure their safety.
Kodanad Forest Range Officer Geo Basil Paul said the government has allocated funds from the NABARD to install a hanging electric fence along the forest border for a distance of 30 km to stop wild elephants from entering the area. The works will start immediately after the elections.
Though a team of officers from the forest department reached the spot around 4 am, they could not start rescue operation as the area was inaccessible.
The young elephant, which had suffered injuries on its forehead, abdomen and legs, tried to raze the sides of the well in an attempt to escape. Local residents said the elephant was very aggressive and it used to enter the village at frequent intervals.
Though the forest department brought an excavator to raze the sidewall of the well to facilitate the elephant to climb out of the well, the local residents including the owner of the properly launched a protest. They demanded that the elephant should be tranquillised and shifted out of Kottappady forest fearing that it will turn violent once it climbed out of the well. As there are many houses on the way to the forest they expressed concern that the elephant may damage houses and attack people.
As the argument continued, MLAs Antony John, Eldhose Kunnappilly, DFO Kura Srinivas, Muvattupuzha RDO Shaiju Jacob and Perumbavoor ASP Mohit Rawat reached the spot and held talks with the people. In a bid to pacify the people, Chief Wildlife Warden D Jayaprasad issued an order to tranquillise the elephant ensuring its safety.
The forest department also made arrangements to pump out the water from the well as part of the attempt to tranquillise the elephant.
However, there was heavy rain in the area around 3 pm after which the attempt was dropped. The police evacuated the people from the area and brought the excavator to demolish a side of the well and build a ramp.
At 5.35 pm the elephant climbed out of the well and trumpeted and ran towards the forest. Range officer Geo Basil Paul said the forest department has agreed to compensate the land owner as the well has been damaged. Around 10 families in the locality depend on the well for their daily needs.
“The elephant accidently fell into the well which had no sidewall. Though we had agreed to tranquillise the elephant the decision was changed as it rained heavily and we had to complete the mission before nightfall. Though the elephant has suffered some injuries, it is healthy and has safely entered the forest without causing any loss of life and property,” he said.
Rain dampens efforts
There was heavy rain in the area around 3 pm after which the attempt was dropped. The police evacuated the people from the area and brought the excavator to demolish a side of the well and build a ramp. At 5.35 pm the elephant climbed out of the well and trumpeted and ran towards the forest.