COIMBATORE: Tamil Nadu forest department staff with the help of a veterinarian started treating a sick tusker by placing fruits laced with medicines at Koothamandi near Sirumugai on Tuesday.
Based on the instructions from Coimbatore Forest Veterinary Officer A Sukumar, antibiotics and pain killer medicines laced with watermelon and banana were kept for the animal.
"We have also placed deworming tablets in the fruits and mixed tonic with rice and wrapped the same in a banana leaf. This is for rejuvenating the animal's liver. We were watching and saw that the animal consumed everything. The animal has also been drinking water well," said the official.
The forest department staff started treating the animal indirectly after locals informed that it was allegedly standing near the forest boundary due to an injury. The animal was seen to be very weak and walking slowly. Motorists passing through the Sirumugai-Sathymangalam road stopped their vehicles and started taking pictures of the animal and created traffic congestion.
The locals alleged that the animal was injured when the forest staff chased the animal by bursting crackers. However, the forest department officials denied this.
"If the animal was injured while bursting crackers, it could have bleed. However our staff and veterinarians could not observe any external injuries. Moreover, if the animal was injured by a country bomb (avuttukai), it would not be able to consume fruits or drink water. We suspect that the animal may be sick, which we can confirm only after examining him," the official added.
The official further said the animal came out of Pethikuttai forest and reached Kotthamandi Pirivu for two hours on Monday night. Subsequently, the animal was driven back by the staff at Pethikuttai forest. But the animal reached Koothamandi pirivu again on Wednesday afternoon.