MANANTHAVADY : The mission to tranquillise and capture Belur Makhna, the wild elephant that killed a farmer on Saturday, failed on the third day too as officials were unable to dart the jumbo despite spotting it just 100m away. The mission will resume on Tuesday.
The operation was resumed under the leadership of veterinarians around 5.30am on Monday at the Mannundi area where the jumbo was last spotted on Sunday evening. Ten Rapid Response Teams (RRTs) expanded the search to places where it was likely to move.
Officials said Belur Makhna was much more ferocious than Thanneerkomban, which had entered Mananthavady and created panic for over 16 hours on February 2. Martin Lowel, North Wayanad DFO, said, “We tracked Belur Makhna down around 11.30am on Monday, and tried to use kumki elephants to trap it. However, it moved further inside the forest upon seeing the jumbos, posing a challenge in darting it.”
DFO Ajit K Raman said the elephant also ventured close to Mannundi colony and could not be darted considering people’s safety. “If shot, the elephant will run for a kilometre. Hence, darting it is not possible in residential areas. Our team reached within 100m of the elephant. However, the elephant keeps moving and hence, tranquilising it will be a big challenge,” Raman said. Around 200 people, including employees of the North Wayanad and South Wayanad forest ranges, Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary, besides members of Nilambur South, Nilambur North, Mannarkad and Kozhikode RRTs, are camping at the spot along with officials.
The district planning committee will convene an all-party meeting under the leadership of its members, representatives of various parties and district-level officials of various departments in the backdrop of wild animals’ incursion into residential areas
