Rogue Elephant Captured After 18 Months of Havoc in Chikkamagaluru’s NR Pura Region

Chikkamagaluru, After nearly 18 months of relentless crop destruction and panic among villagers, forest officials successfully captured a rogue elephant that had been troubling farmers and residents in the NR Pura region of Chikkamagaluru district.

The elephant had been roaming across multiple villages under the Kanuru Gram Panchayat, including Vagde, Kanuru, Balehittalu, Satvani, Gundvani, Gubbiga, Horabailu, Nerle, and Gonikoppa. Its frequent raids on farms caused extensive damage to plantations and led to significant financial losses for local farmers.

Repeated appeals from villagers to the Forest Department and elected representatives, including the MLA from Sringeri, prompted action. Responding to public pressure, Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre ordered the capture of the elephant.

A specialized operation was launched with six trained kumki elephants—three brought from Sakrebailu and three from Dubare in Kushalnagar. On the morning of October 6, the team successfully tranquilized and captured the rogue elephant near Guddihalla after a coordinated effort involving forest personnel and mahouts.

The elephant’s capture has brought relief to the affected communities, many of whom had lived in fear and suffered repeated crop losses. The operation was carried out with strict adherence to wildlife protocols, ensuring minimal stress to the animal.

This incident follows a series of elephant-related tragedies in the region, including the death of two individuals within four days due to elephant attacks. The Forest Department is now expected to relocate the captured elephant to a safer habitat and continue monitoring elephant movements in the region to prevent future conflicts.

Villagers have expressed gratitude to the authorities for their swift action and hope for long-term solutions to human-wildlife conflict in the Malnad region.