Sulthan Bathery: The Thathur tusker (TT-1), popularly known as Muttikomban, which was tranquillised by the Rapid Response Team (RRT) of the Forest Department in the early hours of April 3, was shifted to a specially built kraal at the Muthanga elephant camp around 11 am.

The problem elephant will be kept in the kraal after being fitted with a radio collar, as it requires treatment for an injury on its trunk, which has made it difficult for the animal to collect fodder in the wild.

South Wayanad DFO Ajit K Raman said in a press statement that a meeting of the technical committee had recommended to the Chief Wildlife Warden that the animal be kept at the Muthanga elephant camp for treatment. Forest officials will decide whether to retain it in the camp or release it back into the forest after it recovers.

On Thursday, the Forest Department had told the Kerala High Court that the elephant would not be kept in captivity after its capture. The department said it plans to relocate the jumbo away from human settlements and release it back into the wild after radio-collaring it.

'Good' Friday for Forest Department
More than a hundred Forest Department personnel heaved a sigh of relief after the animal was tranquillised and shifted to an elephant ambulance.

A team of trackers had been closely monitoring the animal in the ‘50 acres’ area of the Thathur section of the Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary since Thursday night. Later, the veterinary team, headed by Chief Veterinary Officer Dr Arun Zachariah, darted the animal with tranquillisers at daybreak.

According to forest officials, the tracking team had been continuously monitoring the animal’s movements for the past 24 days. Apart from the RRT and veterinary teams, key officials, including South Wayanad Divisional Forest Officer Ajit K. Raman, Wayanad Wildlife Warden Varun Daliah, Deputy Conservator of Forests Arul Selvan, and Assistant Conservator of Forests Ajith Aumod, were on round-the-clock alert whenever the tusker broke through electric fencing and entered farmlands.

Ten teams of Forest Department personnel had been working round the clock to prevent the elephant from entering human settlements and to drive it back into the forest whenever it ventured into farmlands. Another team was engaged in repairing damaged hanging fences and restoring electric circuits to prevent further crop raids.

According to Karunakaran Vellakkettu, a native of Panchadi, forest department trackers were actively supported by a group of local people from Thursday night. He said the animal might have been captured earlier if the department had acted more promptly, adding that they feared a case filed by an NGO in the High Court seeking a stay on capturing the animal might hinder the mission.

People gather to see Muttikomban
A crowd, both jubilant and angry, had been waiting since morning until the animal was shifted to the Muthanga elephant camp in a specially prepared elephant ambulance.

Women and children gathered at various points as the motorcade escorting the elephant ambulance passed each junction before reaching the highway.

There were rumours that the veterinary team might release the animal back into the forest after radio-collaring it. However, due to the injury to its trunk, it was easier for the Forest Department to justify retaining it in the kraal for treatment.

The Forest department had launched a mission to capture the problem tusker after it killed a farmer in the region.