Tusker Radhakrishnan which took 12 lives captured in Gudalur | Kerala News | Onmanorama
Published: September 24, 2025 10:42 AM IST
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The Special Task Force of the Tamil Nadu Forest Department captured tusker Radhakrishnan in Gudalur. Photo: Special arrangement
Gudalur: A 60-member special task force of the Tamil Nadu Forest Department captured the tusker that had killed more than 12 people in Ovalley panchayat near Gudalur. The elephant was later shifted to the Abhayaranya elephant camp at Theppakadu in the Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary.
The mission to capture the tusker, named Radhakrishnan by forest department officials, had been underway for the last few days and succeeded on Tuesday night. The animal was captured after being darted with four doses.
The tusker’s last victim was Mani, a plantation labourer at the Manjushree Plantation in Ovalley. He was trampled to death on September 9 while trying to flee after the bike he was riding came face-to-face with the elephant. Another employee who was riding pillion managed to escape with injuries.
According to veterinarians, the first dart struck the animal by Tuesday noon. The team completed the first phase of the operation from a treehouse in a plantation at Ellamala near Ovalley. Later, four additional shots were fired as the tusker turned violent.
Subsequently, Kumki elephants surrounded the tusker, keeping it under tight guard, and guided it to the spot where a truck had been prepared for its transport to the elephant camp. By night, the animal was shifted to the camp.
The power supply on the entire stretch from Ovalley to Theppakkadu was cut off to prevent the animal from electrocution, according to officials.Â
The order to capture the animal was issued on September 15, after a delegation of the People’s Action Council met the state chief wildlife warden at Chennai.
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