Multiple teams begin operation to track problematic jumbo in Gudalur

COIMBATORE: Multiple teams of the Forest Department have begun to track the problematic elephant identified as PM2 (Pandalur Makhna) to capture it. “The elephant could not be sighted in its habituated places in Gudalur.

It had joined a herd near Tamil Nadu- Kerala border. Therefore, four teams from Genepool, Nadukani, Gudalur and Pandalur ranges have been formed to track the animal round the clock,” said a senior forest official. If sighted, a special tracking team with expert elephant trackers will reach the place and confirm the problematic elephant presence as it has been with a herd.

“Then efforts would be taken to capture the elephant once it comes back to a plain terrain in the Gudalur region,” the official added. The entire operation has been supervised by senior Forest Department officials and veterinarians have arrived to execute the task.

Two kumki’s Vijay and Wasim from Mudumalai have been brought to Devala. The Forest Department decided to capture the elephant after it attacked Pappathi (56) to death after pulling down her house in Devala in Gudalur on the night of November 19.

Two others in the house escaped with injuries as the elephant damaged their house in search of food. This incident triggered multiple protests by villagers demanding to capture the elephant, which has been frequenting their neighbourhood.