Rogue tusker tranquilised, captured after multiple fatalities & crop damages in Odisha

The Forest Department successfully tranquilised and captured a tusker on Wednesday that had been creating fear and unrest in parts of Angul district for several years. The operation was carried out in the Kusumpat area under the Karatapata section of the Angul Forest Division after repeated demands from local residents for action against the elephant.

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According to forest officials and villagers, the tusker had been responsible for multiple incidents of human casualties and extensive crop damage over the past three years. Residents alleged that more than seven people had lost their lives in attacks by the adult elephant, which frequently entered human settlements and agricultural fields, triggering panic in the region.

A special operation involving the rescue vehicle 'Airavat', senior forest officials, veterinary experts, tranquilising teams, and rescue personnel was launched to capture the animal. Forest authorities monitored the elephant’s movements throughout the night and used drone surveillance to track its location. After nearly 12 to 14 hours of effort, trained sharpshooters fired tranquiliser darts, enabling the rescue team to safely secure the tusker.

Heavy machinery, including a hydra crane and a JCB, was used to load the animal onto a transport vehicle. Forest officials said the elephant would be shifted to a croll facility at Kulsingha for further observation and management.

Angul DFO stated that the elephant had shown significant behavioural changes and signs of distress, which may have contributed to its aggressive actions. The successful relocation has brought relief to villagers, who expressed hope that the move would help reduce future human-elephant conflict and prevent further loss of life and property.

“The elephant was in distress. For its well-being, the tranquilisation operation started at 6.00 AM this morning. All the teams had arrived. First, the elephant was located and detected. Then, following our SOP, it was tranquilised, and now it has finally been loaded onto our truck. In a short while, our staff will depart with it,” Angul DFO, Nitish Kumar, said.

“This elephant was killing people. It would kill people and then go far away. And today, knowing this, the Forest Department got involved and caught it. Oh, we are very happy. Because it had taken the lives of many people and damaged their properties. Our demand was that they (the forest personnel) take it away from here,” a resident, Kena Behera, expressed.

Reported By: Prakash Mohanty