BAVALI: The mission to capture Belur Magna, the tuskless wild elephant, that killed a farmer at Padamala Panachi in Mananthavady, has entered the third day. The mission will move as per the signal from the radio collar fitted on the elephant. The veterinary team will move to tranquilize the elephant once the exact location is known.

More forest department rapid action force members will reach Wayanad. A holiday has been declared for educational institutions in the area. The forest department’s mission to capture the elephant after drugging turned futile as it moved to the inner forests. The locals protested and detained the officials for two hours after the mission ended at 5 pm. They ended the protests after getting an assurance that the mission would resume early Monday morning. Patrolling continued at night also.

There was a search for the elephant near the Karnataka border at Bavali. Though the location was found using the signal of the radio collar, could not tranquilize as it was in the inner forests. The elephant was later seen in a suitable position to tranquilize, but sensing the presence of kumkis, later moved from there. The tusker was last seen in the Mannundi tribal colony area on the Kerala-Karnataka Forest border.