ERODE: With the two kumkis sent back to Muthumalai Tiger Reserve (MTR) on April 7 ahead of the prime minister’s visit, troublesome elephant Karuppan entered farmlands near Jeerahalli on Saturday and damaged crops.
Officials in the forest department said, “The lone tusker Karuppan has been constantly threatening villagers in Thalavadi, Hasanur and Jeerahalli forest ranges under the Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve for the past few months. The operation to capture the elephant started on January 12 and attempts were made for a week. The elephant was even injected with sedatives twice, but it escaped.”
“The operation to capture Karuppan resumed in March-end. For this purpose, Kumkis Bomman and Sujay were brought from MTR. The elephant was injected with sedatives five more times in the Thalavadi range on different dates, but it still escaped. In this situation, due to the PM’s visit to MTR, two Kumkis were called back and the operation halted,” he said.
“This has caused dissatisfaction among the villagers as the elephant entered farmlands adjacent to the forest in Jeerahalli on Saturday and damaged the crops,” officials added. S Sathish, ranger of Thalavadi, said, “The kumkis will come from MTR within two days. We are trying to capture Karuppan without risking its life, which is the main reason for the delay.”