Watch Video: Three States Unite for ‘Jumbo Mission’ to Rescue Lone Elephant Omkar as He Journeys across Maharashtra, Goa and Karnataka
Watch Video: Three States Unite for ‘Jumbo Mission’ to Rescue Lone Elephant Omkar as He Journeys across Maharashtra, Goa and Karnataka
10-year-old elephant’s journey across Maharashtra, Goa and Karnataka sparks massive rescue and rehabilitation effort
A high-stakes wildlife rescue operation is underway as forest departments of Maharashtra, Goa and Karnataka join forces to save Omkar, a 10–12-year-old juvenile elephant who wandered away from his herd earlier this year. The young tusker first strayed from his family in Maharashtra’s Sindhudurg district and has since travelled into Goa, prompting a carefully coordinated inter-state rescue mission.
The operation, being described as a ‘jumbo mission’, will involve over 60 forest officials, four to six trained kumki elephants (experts at guiding or calming wild elephants), veterinary teams, thermal surveillance units, police for crowd control, and heavy machinery including cranes and bulldozers.
Elephant Goes Astray
Omkar had shown signs of distress and aggression early this year, often grazing nearly 25 km away from his herd of six. Eventually, he separated completely and began wandering alone across Sindhudurg before stepping into Goa on September 13.
The Maharashtra forest department, which had been monitoring him via drones, alerted authorities in Goa. However, the dense forest canopy made aerial tracking difficult, forcing ground teams to pursue him. Officials attempted three times within 48 hours to guide Omkar back into Maharashtra, but crowds, traffic, and the elephant’s unpredictable movement made efforts unsuccessful.
Creating Panic on Mumbai-Goa Highway
In recent days, Omkar has been frequently seen near Insuli village along the Mumbai-Goa highway. His appearances have drawn large crowds, causing traffic to come to a standstill and raising fears among locals and motorists. Forest officials reported that the elephant crossed the highway twice — once on Saturday evening and again on Sunday morning — before moving towards the Terekhol riverbed and nearby plantations.
Although Omkar displays calm behaviour at times, his movement through residential areas, farms, and busy roads has caused widespread concern. Villagers from Kas, Madura, Ronapal and surrounding areas say they have been living in fear as the elephant continues to roam unpredictably, damaging property and halting transport.
Rescue and Rehabilitation Plan
With concerns mounting, officials from Goa, Maharashtra and Karnataka have agreed to launch a coordinated rescue-and-rehabilitation mission. Teams are now preparing to use kumki elephants, specialised equipment, and expert handlers to safely guide Omkar to a protected forest habitat where he can be rehabilitated.
Forest department officers continue to monitor his movements closely and are urging citizens to avoid crowding or disturbing the elephant for their own safety and to ease the rescue process.
