KALPETTA: Presence of wild elephant is creating panic in Mananthavady town in Wayanad again. The elephant that came from the forest and entered the town has been roaming around there for 6 hours.
Sub divisional magistrate Mananthavady has issued the order prohibiting all types of public gatherings under section 144 of CrPC. The district administration has advised not to send children to schools and do not follow the elephant or take pictures.
The elephant, which entered the Mananthavady town at 6 am on Friday, stopped at the side of the Kozhikode road at 10am. The elephant entered in KSRTC bus stand, court complex and all the crowded places in the town.
Meanwhile the Forest Minister AK Saseendran informed that steps have been taken to tranquilize and capture the elephant. It has been confirmed that the elephant that arrived in the Mananthavady area was earlier captured from Sahara Estate in Hassan by the Karnataka Forest Department two weeks ago under 'Operation Jumbo'.
After attaching a radio collar to the captured elephant, it was released in Moolaholla, Bandipur forest border. The forest department office in Mysuru was monitoring the elephant through a radio collar and confirmed its presence in Mananthavady.