COIMBATORE: Wild elephant Shankar, which allegedly killed three people at Pandalur, was released from kraal in the Abayaranyam forest in Mudumalai Tiger Reserve on Sunday after spending 141 days inside the enclosure.
The tusker was decorated with a flower garland around his neck along with vibuti, tilak and sandalwood paste on his forehead and tusks.
Welcoming Shankar, MTR field director KK Kaushal fed him sugarcane and subsequently he was taken out of the kraal as per the instructions of temporary kavadis Vikram and Soman.
K Rajesh Kumar, a veterinary assistant surgeon of Theppakkadu, who is taking care of the tusker for the last four and half months, certified that the animal is fit and is obeying the Kavadis instructions.
Forest department sources said that though the animal was aggressive, killed three persons and damaged agricultural fields in Pandalur, he has become calm now after four and half months of training. In future, Shankar may be used as a Kumki, they said, adding that Shankar will be maintained separately for a certain period of time, and later, would be allowed to mingle with other Kumki elephants.