A medical team of the Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) and forest officials on Saturday tranquilised an injured wild elephant at Tengabosti under Rangapara near Assam-Arunachal Pradesh boundary in Sonitpur district.

The male elephant, aged around 50, had injury in the left hind leg from where an iron rod jutted out.

The incident came to light on Friday. Locals spotted the animal in a forest area, but it was unable to move. They informed the forest department. The forest officials sent experts on elephant from the Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conservation (CWRC), Kaziranga in late evening.

Veterinary surgeon Rinku Gogoi, along with divisional forest officer, West Sonitpur, Ranjit Konwar, and experts from the WTI on Saturday launched a search operation and found the elephant in a forest area. After attempting thrice they finally tranquilised it. Gogoi said the rod was extracted from its leg after three hours.

Wildlife warden Sourav Borkotaki said: “Now the elephant is safe, but it is under observation of the Sonitpur forest division.”

Divisional forest officer, West Sonitpur, Ranjit Konwar said there was a possibility that some poachers had attacked the elephant for its tusk.

He added that villagers might have injured it after it destroyed crops.

He added the forest officials would keep it under observation. Wild elephants frequently destroy crops and houses in the area.