A wild elephant, which had been roaming with an iron chain tied to the right front leg for the past two years and developed an infection, was tranquillised and operated on successfully in Bankura on Thursday evening.

Forest officers said the 25-year-old tusker had been caught and chained after tranquillisation in 2019 after it had killed three persons in Bankura. But the animal fled with a chain on the right front leg on regaining senses when efforts were on to release it into a forest in Purulia’s Bandwan.

“Before the last chain was released, the elephant regained senses and fled with a chain still attached to the front right leg. As its muscles grew, the clamp of the chain began to sit tightly on the leg and a sore developed,” said a forest officer.

Kalyan Rai, the divisional forest officer of Bankura north division said: “Our team which had a vegetarian tracked down the animal last month and cut the chain today (Thursday). The elephant was released after antibiotics were administered on the wound and it is under observation in the Bankura forest.”

Sources said the full-grown male elephant was from Dalma range of Jharkhand and had entered Bengal through Purulia. Officers said the operation was crucial as infections could make wild elephants lose mental balance.