Forest officials begin operation to capture elephant at Aralam
The Keralam Forest department has begun efforts to tranquillise and capture the male elephant known as KM-1 after driving it towards a designated area at Aralam. About 100 forest personnel, including veterinarians and a darting unit, have been deployed, while restrictions on public gatherings are in force.
The Keralam Forest department has begun an operation to tranquillise and capture the male elephant known as KM-1 at the Aralam Rehabilitation Area, with officials trying to drive the animal into a designated 18-acre zone. Division Forest Officer K. Saji said about 100 forest personnel had been deployed.
The team includes a darting unit, two veterinarians, a conservation biologist and supporting staff, who are prepared to use tranquillisation if the situation requires it. The driving team spotted KM-1 in the Block 10 Jalnidhi area of Aralam farm on Wednesday morning. Efforts were then under way to move it towards the designated area.
A tracking team had earlier been working in the Odachal area, where the elephant had been staying. Dense grassland prevented the team from approaching the animal directly, according to the report. Tracking was temporarily halted in the afternoon before resuming from the Kottappara-Pulinchod area after a break.
The teams continued efforts to locate and monitor the elephant as part of the capture operation. District Collector P. Vishnuraj imposed a prohibitory order under Section 163(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita in wards 6 and 7 of Aralam panchayat and Blocks 7, 9, 10 and 13 of Aralam farm.
The order prohibits members of the public from assembling or gathering in the specified areas while the operation is under way.
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