Udupi: A 12-year-old wild elephant that had been terrorising residents in Siddapur, Hosangadi, and Kamalashile areas of Udupi district for the past three days was successfully captured by the forest department on Thursday evening.

The male elephant, which had been fitted with a radio collar during a previous translocation from Hassan to the Bhadra Tiger Reserve, had strayed into human settlements after getting separated from its herd. The intrusion disrupted normal life in the region, prompting precautionary closures of schools and colleges, while shops downed shutters by 6:30 pm daily.

A massive operation involving around 150 personnel was launched by the forest department to track and capture the tusker. The team comprised officials from the Kudremukh Wildlife Division, local forest staff, and the Elephant Task Force from Chikkamagaluru. Three trained elephants from the Sakrebail Elephant Camp in Shivamogga were deployed to assist in controlling the wild animal.

Using signals from the elephant's radio collar, the team was able to monitor its movements throughout Thursday afternoon. A tranquiliser dose of 1.2 ml was administered, which took effect within 20 minutes, allowing the team to safely capture the animal. As a safety measure, the stretch of road between Siddapur and Hosangadi was closed to traffic from 3:30 pm to 7:30 pm during the operation.

Deputy Conservator of Forests, Kudremukh, Shivaram M Babu, said that six trained elephants, three veterinarians, and a large support staff coordinated the high-risk operation. Public announcements were made in the area to alert residents and ensure their safety throughout the process.

Udupi Deputy Commissioner Vidya Kumari K confirmed that there were no injuries or damage reported. However, prohibitory orders were briefly imposed as a preventive measure. She said the forest department has been directed to devise and implement long-term strategies to prevent future incidents involving wild elephants straying into inhabited areas.

Following directives from higher authorities, the captured elephant was transported to the Sakrebail Elephant Camp in Shivamogga district for rehabilitation and further monitoring.(