Tranquilized elephant that was relocated to Karnataka's Bandipur from Kerala dies

Experts from Kerala and Karnataka will conduct a necropsy on the deceased animal and will find the exact cause of death.

Thaneer Kamban, the elephant that was captured after tranquillization at Kerala’s Mananthavady town died on Saturday morning after it was relocated to Karnataka’s Bandipur region. The elephant created panic among the people of Mananthavady after it strayed into the town.

Tranquilized elephant that was relocated to Karnataka's Bandipur dies (Pic for representation)

According to local media reports, experts from Kerala and Karnataka will conduct a necropsy on the deceased animal and will find the exact cause of death. Kerala forest minister AK Saseendran will also reportedly constitute a committee to examine the sequence of events that caused the death of a wild animal.

In the early hours of Friday, the elephant named Thaneer Kamban entered Mananthavady town. The locals, forest and police personnel were also present in large numbers to capture the elephant and ensure the operation was carried out safely and smoothly. After around 10 pm, the pachyderm was loaded onto the truck with the help of several forceful pushes from the kumki elephants.

The Forest official said they received permission to tranquilize the elephant only at around 2 pm, more than eight hours after it strayed into Mananthavady town, creating panic there. Subsequently, it took them another four hours to dart the pachyderm as it kept moving around between the banana plantations near the town, the official said.

The elephant was calm and composed and did not attack anyone or cause major property damage. However, the death of an elephant raised many doubts about the process of tranquillization and more details are expected to be out after the necropsy test.