Task force fails to track Belur Makhana, locals stage protest

WAYANAD: The task force failed to track Belur Makhana, a wild elephant who killed a man in Mananthavady as Sunday's search was concluded. The north range CCF said that the search will resume as soon as the signal is received from the radio collar on Monday.

Meanwhile, the locals protested in the area as the task force was returning without tracking the elephant. The locals stopped the mission team and shouted at the officials. The locals said that they would be allowed to go back only after a decision regarding the mission is made.

The protestors also asked the mission team to ensure the safety of the locals in the area. Top officials of the forest department have reached Mananthavadi. Five DFOs and four veterinary officers are also with the team.

People have been warned not to go out unnecessarily. Forest Minister AK Saseendran on Sunday said that the elephant will be taken to Muthanga after tranquilizing it. The minister had also said that a decision would be taken later on whether to release the elephant into the forest or make it a kumki.

Vikram, Bharath, Surya and Surendran are the kumki elephants helping the mission team. Belur Makhana is an elephant that was released into the Molahalli forest by the Karnataka Forest Department on November 30. The elephant entered the Kerala border at around 1 am on Saturday and reached Mananthavady municipal limits at 3 pm.

Ajeesh and others on the road ran for their lives when they saw the wild elephant. He and Sanju, who was with him, jumped over the gate of his friend Jomon's house to escape the elephant. Ajeesh fell to the ground and was trampled by the rogue elephant.