A wild elephant strayed into the Mathabhanga sub-division of Cooch Behar on Saturday morning and moved through some villages in the area.
Eventually, foresters darted it and took it to the Jaldapara National Park, which is around 30 kilometres away.
The elephant drew hundreds of people who followed the animal as it moved from one village to another.
Sources said that on Saturday morning the elephant moved into the house of one Gopen Sarkar in Paradubi and devoured around 40 kilos of paddy stored in the house.
It then moved into places like Egaromile, Baromile, the bank of Mansai river and Dakshin Baraibari.
Foresters were informed and teams from the Jaldapara wildlife division, Cooch Behar forest division and Buxa Tiger Reserve went to the spot. A team from the Ghoksadanga police station accompanied the foresters.
“We went to Dakshin Baraibari and spotted the elephant. It took some time, but we could successfully tranquillise the animal,” said Asitabha Chatterjee, the divisional forest officer of Cooch Behar forest division.
Foresters brought in excavators which were used to lift the animal that stood still on the spot.
“It will be released into Jaldapara,” said Chatterjee.
After the elephant was darted, the villagers, who were panicky when it was roaming around, sounded relieved.
Foresters, however, could not say from where the elephant had come. “Jaldapara is some 30 kilometres away while the Chilapata forest (both in neighbouring Alipurduar district) is around 20 kilometres away. It might have come from either place,” said the forester.
He said that as the elephant moved through fields, it damaged crops. “Those who have suffered damage will be compensated,” he added.