Third elephant captured in Hebbanahalli for safety reasons

The forest department captured a third elephant in Hebbanahalli on Sunday. This was part of a larger operation that targeted three elephants causing problems in Belur and Sakleshpur. The operation began on March 16, and all three elephants were captured within a week. The elephants were caught with the assistance of trained elephants named Dhananjaya, Prashantha, Bheema, Kanjan, Harsha, Ekalavya, and Mahendra. The first elephant was caught at Bikkodu on March 16. The second, named Vikrant, was captured on March 20 and moved to the Sakrebyle Elephant Camp in Shivamogga. These wild elephants had been troubling local residents by destroying crops and even attacking people. Following the death of three individuals, pressure grew on officials to act. The most recently captured elephant will be relocated to the Bhadra Reserve. Forest officials, including Conservator V Yedukondalu and DCF Saurabh Kumar, worked closely with veterinarians during the operation. Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre praised the efforts of the team and promised to protect both wildlife and human communities in the future.