Coimbatore : For the larger part of his two and a half year reign in Thadagam Valley, the tusker who is fondly addressed as Vinayagan roamed as a charming king and a winner of many hearts with his tranquil nature.
Coimbatore : For the larger part of his two and a half year reign in Thadagam Valley, the tusker who is fondly addressed as Vinayagan roamed as a charming king and a winner of many hearts with his tranquil nature.
Weighing at over 4.5 tonnes and standing more than 9.5 feet tall, Vinayagan, the biggest bull of the Coimbatore Forest Division according to experts, was actually a friendly neighbour to the people of the Thadagam Valley. Despite many close encounters, Vinayagan never looked threatening for people except for a few mock charges, which is an obvious defence mechanism from a 30 to 35-year-old elephant.
“Vinayagan is an excellent specimen. He is healthy, has a good temperament and the musth flow is good. He has all that is required for a bull his age. But the only problem is his behaviour. He is moving in very close proximity to humans and farmlands, which could have dire consequences,” said Dr. N.S Manoharan, one of the veterinary doctors who were involved in the capture of the tusker.
His venturing out of the forest – though not a threat to humans – was not welcomed by farmers of the region as crop damage was on the rise during his reign in Thadagam. As instances of crop damage kept piling up, farmers even took to petitioning for his capture and translocation.
It was during such a time that a member of the Rapid Response Team (RRT), Venkatesh was killed by Vinayagan. Vinayagan was being chased on all sides by locals and foresters and Venkatesh who was chased, slipped and fell to the ground. He was too close for comfort to the elephant, which unfortunately ended in his death.
This incident increased fear among the locals who intensified the protest. However, a larger section of the people stressed the fact that Vinayagan was actually a gentle giant who meant no harm to humans.
“He damages crops yes. But he would not hurt humans. There was only one incident of human killing, which was obviously an accident. Otherwise, even at close proximity, people need not fear his presence, which was evident from the incident at Natarajan’s house,” said Manickaraj, a local of Thadagam.
The foresters who were on his trail too had a good time following him day and night. “We became so habituated to his presence that now that he is gone, we actually miss him,” said R. Sundararaj, an Anti-Poaching Watcher.
Despite losing one of their close aides to the tusker, their connection to Vinayagan was still intact.
“Vinayagan and Chinnathambi were kings of the Thadagam forests. We feel that they were protecting the forest and us by patrolling day and night,” exclaimed Manickaraj.
Vinayagan’s absence is still haunting the minds of those who had had many regaling encounters with the tusker.