TN wild tusker darted, restrained after 17 day chase

Chennai, Dec 8 (IANS) Elusive wild tusker Pandalur Makana-2 (PM-2) was darted and restrained by a Forest Department team at Pulliyampara reserve in Gudalur range in the Nilgiris forest division of Tamil Nadu on Thursday, officials said.The elephant, which had destroyed several houses in Gudalur area, had also killed a woman accidentally while trying to raid a house at Devala for food on November 19. The house, which the elephant tried to enter, collapsed on the 58-year-old woman who died instantly. Two others were injured by the elephant.The local people had conducted a road roko and the AIADMK MLA of Gudalur, Pon Jayaseelan staged a sit-in dharna on November 21 in front of collector's office demanding the capture of the elephant.On Thursday morning, forest officials spotted the elephant which was travelling in the Kerala forest range after the Devala incident with a herd between Vayalpalam in Pandalur and Mayyikoli in Gudalur. The tusker was darted by a veterinarian in the team and four Kumki elephants were brought to restrain the animal with ropes.The animal will be shifted, on a specially-designed truck, to the deep forest in Madumalai Tiger Reserve which will be its new habitat.
--IANS aal/vd

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