Five kumkis, 50 personnel capture rogue tusker on Chittoor-Tamil Nadu border
Forest officials and veterinary experts successfully captured a rogue sub-adult tusker that had been terrorizing villages along the Chittoor-Tamil Nadu border for a year. The operation utilized five trained elephants, known as kumkis, to safely relocate the animal after it caused significant property damage and human injuries.
Why it matters
This highlights the increasing frequency of human-wildlife conflict in India and the specialized methods used by authorities to manage these interactions.
A wild sub-adult tusker that terrorised several villages under Palamaner, Bangarupalem, Gudipala and Chittoor mandals on the Chittoor- Tamil Nadu border was captured on Wednesday (July 15, 2026) evening, after a day-long operation involving five kumkis (trained elephants) and about 50 forest personnel, apart from veterinary experts.
The solitary elephant had strayed into human habitations for nearly a year, particularly in the villages of Gantavuru, Pengaragunta and Gobbillakotur, ravaging agricultural and horticultural crops, attacking cattle, and frequently crossing the Moghili Ghat road, a busy Palamaner-Chittoor stretch of the National Highway 4.
Speaking to The Hindu on Thursday (July 16, 2026), District Forest Officer G. Subburaj said the animal’s unpredictable movements posed a serious threat to both residents and motorists, prompting the Forest Department to launch the kumki operation to capture the lone tusker.
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