Elephant Balarama, who had carried the golden howdah during Mysuru Dasara on 13 occasions, was shot at by a farmer with a country gun but the pellets only bruised the aging tusker and it escaped with minor injuries.
The incident took place on Thursday night at Alalooru village in Periyapatna taluk. Deputy Conservator of Forests of Nagarahole C. Harsha Kumar said the accused, Suresh, was arrested and produced in court, which remanded him in judicial custody.
He said Balarama, who is in his mid-60s and is retired, was grazing in the forests and personnel of Bhimanakatte elephant camp went in search of him late in the evening.
They heard a gunshot and ran in the direction from where the sound emanated and found Balarama in slight distress. Forest Department personnel immediately nabbed Suresh, said to be a farmer. Veterinarians, who reached the spot soon after, examined Balarama. Fortunately, the country gun had pellets and the elephant had suffered minor bruises, said Mr. Harsha Kumar.
The elephant is fine and roaming around in the camp and the bruises caused by the pellets have been treated, he added. Balarama is a veteran of Mysuru Dasara and continuously carried the howdah during the Vijayadashmi procession from 1999 to 2011 and is known to be gentle and of calm demeanour.
Published - December 17, 2022 09:21 pm IST
