TN Forest Dept deploys 75-member team to capture 'Karuppan'

CHENNAI: A 75-member-team comprising veterinarians and forest officials has deployed by the Tamil Nadu Forest Department to capture wild tusker 'Karuppan' that has wrecked havoc in Thalavadi and Jeeahali forest ranges for over a year.

Two Kumki elephants 'Sujay' and 'Bomman' are already included in the team to capture the rogue elephant. Forest Department sources told IANS that retired veterinarian, Dr N.V. Manoharan is also in the team.

Forest Department officials said that they have been tracking the elephant and after finding the terrain suitable, a tranquilliser dart would be fired at it. They said that they were tracking the elephant, but since the terrain through which it was moving is a "hostile area", the team is not proceeding with the move to dart it.

The state Forest Department had tried to capture the elephant during January in 'Operation Black' but failed. The jumbo has even hit with a tranquiliser dart but eluded his pursuers by going into the deep forest and mingling with a herd.

While local villagers allege that the elephant had killed people, the Forest Department has not confirmed this, but agree that 'Karuppan' has been a menace in the area, destroying crops and damaging houses and buildings after entering human settlements.