Sharmili Mallick

Angul: The operation to tranquillise tigress Sundari will resume today. The kumki (trained) elephant brought from Chandaka Wildlife Sanctuary in Odisha has already reached Satkosia to help the forest officials capture the big cat.

Meanwhile, the elephant ‘Jashoda’ has been kept at Purunakote range office under Satkosia forest division since Saturday. Jashoda was accompanied by four mahouts and a team of forest officials.

As per reports, Jashoda will be first taken to the Satkosia forest where the officials will ride on her back and practice to catch the tigress. Later, the officials' team will launch the operation to tranquillise Sundari, which is reportedly roaming in Purunakote forest.

The State forest department is in touch with its Karnataka counterparts to bring two more kumki elephants to catch Sundari.

It may be noted that despite several attempts by the forest officials, the tigress remained out of reach. An expert team from Madhya Pradesh had also earlier failed to capture Sundari.

On the other hand, a nine-member delegation of the State BJP led by party vice-president Samir Mohanty met DGP RP Sharma on Saturday and submitted a memorandum opposing the police action against the locals in connection with the Satkosia violence that erupted after Sundari allegedly killed a woman in the region.

“31 BJP workers, including the local party president, have been arrested by the police. We met the DGP and requested to intervene and stop hooliganism by police, who are terrorising the locals more than the wild animals,” alleged BJP State secretary, Kalandi Samal.

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