Operation Belur Makhna to dart and capture the tuskless wild elephant that killed a farmer in Wayanad on Saturday proved futile again on Tuesday.
The mission started around 5.30 a.m. at the Mannundi forest zone under the Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary after the officials received signals from the radio collar of the animal. However, the officials could not tranquilise it owing to the peculiarity of the terrain.
As the area was covered with undergrowth and the animal was moving fast, the operation became difficult, Forest department sources said. The animal was finally spotted near Irumbupalam, nearly 400 m away from the Mannundi forest zone.
Close to 200 frontline forest staff, including the tracking and darting teams, took part in the mission. The officials said the operation would continue on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, a dawn-to-dusk hartal called by a group of farmer organisations under the aegis of the Farmers’ Relief Forum raising a slew of demands, including ensuring protection to life and property of the public from wildlife attacks, was near total and peaceful in the district.
While private buses as well as taxis stayed off the road, two-wheelers and other private vehicles were seen on the road. The Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) operated 48 schedules from its Sulthan Bathery depot. All the long-route services, including the interstate schedules, also operated, the KSRTC authorities said.
No untoward incidents
No untoward incidents in connection with the hartal were reported, police sources said. Hartal supporters took out marches in various parts of the district. At Pulpally, people detained a few Forest department officials demanding that a tiger, which has been spotted in the Surabhikkavala, Thannitheruvu and Vadanakkavala areas near Pulpally for the past many days, be captured. The big cat had reportedly killed two domestic animals. The forest officials had set up three cages in the area.
A group of farmers under the aegis of the Wayanad farmer collective took out a protest march at Kattikulam. They also demanded sufficient compensation for crop loss and steps to disburse the compensation in a time-bound manner.
