Elephant will not be tranquilized today; 'Belur Magna' still in residential area; four Kumki elephants including Vikram for mission

MANANTHAVADY: Belur Magna, the elephant that trampled a farmer in Wayanad, will not be tranquillized today. It has been decided to tranquillize the elephant tomorrow morning. The decision of the forest department came after the mission force informed that they could not fire the tranquillizer today due to lack of light. A radio caller signal was received from Chaligadha where the elephant is present. The elephant is now stationed within 150 meters of the forest department's antenna.

The elephant is near the place where it attacked the farmer. Evacuation of the people here has started. Four Kumki elephants will be sent for the mission to capture Belur Magna. Vikram, Bharat, Surya and Surendran will be taking care of the mission. Bharat and Surya have reached the island of Kurua. The plan is to release Belur Magna in the forest area after tranquillizing.

Ajeesh, a farmer and a driver, was stomped to death by a wild elephant in his backyard at 7:30 this morning. On seeing the elephant, Ajeesh ran to a nearby house, but the elephant came after him and stomped him to death. The occupants of the house escaped unhurt. The forest department ordered the elephant to be tranquillized after the locals protested with the dead body of the farmer.

The Karnataka Forest Department had caught 'Belur Magna' on 30 October 2023 by tranquillizing it. The action was taken after regular destruction of crops and attacks on residential areas in Belur, Hassan Forest Division, Karnataka. It is reported that after attaching a radio collar, it was released in the Molahalli forest area near the Kerala border.