Bhubaneswar: The rogue elephant responsible for destruction and terror at Bonai in Sundargarh district for the last three months, has been successfully captured and relocated.
As per reports, the male elephant, estimated to be around 15 years old, had been on a rampage for the last three months, damaging homes, and crops, and spreading fear among villagers. Residents of nearby villages were spending sleepless nights after the wild animal reigned terror in the localities reducing their homes to rubble and crops to waste.
Villagers, worn down by sleepless nights and constant fear, sought the forest department’s help, requesting a solution to shoo away the notorious from the nearby villages.
On Tuesday, a team led by Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Lalit Kumar Patra launched an operation to tranquillize the elephant. The team, comprising forest officials, veterinarians, and experts tracked the elephant’s movements before sedating it around midnight. A radio collar was fitted on the elephant to monitor its movements before releasing it back into the wild.
However, the decision to release the elephant back into the forest has met with resistance from the local residents, who fear the elephant may return and continue its destructive path.
“We are relieved that the elephant has been captured, but we are worried it may come back,” said a local resident.
Forest officials have assured the villagers that the elephant’s movements will be closely monitored, and measures will be taken to prevent future conflicts.
