Screengrab of drone footage showing the wild elephant’s movement near T.N. Palayam Range in Erode district
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
A lone male elephant that strayed out of the forest under the T.N. Palayam forest range in the Sathyamangalam forest division was driven back into the reserve forest in the early hours of Saturday (March 14, 2026) after a 48-hour monitoring and driving operation by the Forest Department.
The elephant, which moved out of the forest on March 12, was first spotted at Kasipalayam village, about 6 km from the reserve forest. When forest personnel attempted to track the animal, it crossed the Bhavani river and disappeared into dense bushes. The use of thermal drones also did not help officials determine its exact location.
On Friday (March 13) morning, the elephant was spotted again near Kurumandur village, about 12 km away by aerial distance from the forest area. A team led by T.N. Palayam Forest Range Officer John Peter monitored the elephant with the help of drones. As driving the elephant during the daytime proved difficult, the operation was intensified around 7 p.m. on Friday to guide it back towards the forest. During the operation, the elephant crossed three major roads, including the busy Sathyamangalam-Gobichettipalayam road. It also crossed the Bhavani river and the Lower Bhavani Project (LBP) canal.
After nearly 48 hours of continuous efforts, the elephant safely entered the reserve forest near T.N. Palayam around 1 a.m. on Saturday. Officials said the operation concluded without any injuries to the public or the animal. The Forest Department thanked the Revenue Department, Police Department, and the Electricity Board for their support during the operation.
Published – March 14, 2026 01:12 pm IST
