K. Karthikeyani, a Tamil Nadu forest officer, won a Special Jury Award at the Eco Warrior Awards 2026. Her campaign took 239 illegal guns out of elephant country. It began with a simple request: give up the gun and protect the elephant. Here is the true story behind that number.
Why Illegal Guns Became a Danger for Elephants
Illegal guns had long been a problem in the forests of Tamil Nadu. The Cauvery landscape has a long history of hunting and poaching. People used country-made weapons for hunting. Some also used them to guard crops from wildlife at night. However, a gun kept for crops can also be turned on an elephant. The danger became clear in 2022. Two elephants were shot dead in the Anchetty and Jawalagiri forest ranges. Both deaths came within two months, in February and March.
At that time, Karthikeyani served as Wildlife Warden of the Hosur forest division in Krishnagiri district. The Hosur division is home to both migratory and resident elephants. For Karthikeyani, the problem went beyond individual cases. Her aim was to stop the availability and use of such guns. She also wanted villagers to share ownership of wildlife protection.
Why Trust Came Before Force
The campaign was named Ozhippom Thuppakkiyai, Kaapom Yanaigalai. In English, that means “Eradicate Illegal Country-made Guns, Save Elephants.” It ran in two phases, in September 2022 and August 2024. Karthikeyani, a 2018-batch Indian Forest Service officer, led the effort. Why start with surrender instead of arrests? The answer lies in past experience. In earlier cases, villagers and local leaders often asked for arrested people to be released.
Family circumstances were often cited, along with promises of no repeat offences. Therefore, the department had to enforce the law and keep community trust. The campaign offered a middle path. Residents could hand over guns at Forest Range Offices. They could also go through Panchayat Presidents and village heads. Officials assured them that surrender would not lead to immediate prosecution. Their identities would also stay confidential. However, the message was firm. This was a limited chance, not a permanent relaxation of the law.
How 239 Guns Came Out of Hiding
The drive began on 9 September 2022 with a motorbike rally. Villages then heard the message through many channels. Officials used newspapers, advertisements, social media, pamphlets and public-address systems. Door-to-door visits reached remote areas. Meanwhile, Panchayat leaders explained the campaign to residents. The response was strong. On 30 September 2022, residents surrendered 111 guns in the first phase. Mongabay India reported that this was the highest tally in Tamil Nadu so far. Denkanikottai range gave the most, with 46 guns.
The Forest Department repeated the drive in August 2024. Another 128 guns came in. Together, the two phases removed 239 illegal guns from the landscape. The work did not stop there. Officials warned that searches with trained sniffer dogs would follow. Any weapon found after the surrender period would invite stringent action. The laws named were the Arms Act and the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972. The plan had two clear stages: trust first, enforcement next.
What Changed for Elephants
The numbers show a clear shift. Between April 2017 and September 2022, five elephants died from gunshot injuries. Two of those deaths happened in 2022. From November 2022 to June 2026, only one elephant death from a gunshot was recorded. These figures come from the Indian Masterminds report on her campaign. The earlier period was longer, but the drop is still clear. Fewer illegal guns in villages leave fewer chances for such tragedies.
However, the threat has not vanished. One incident still occurred, which shows a single campaign cannot erase old hunting habits. The effort went beyond guns, too. The Forest Department strengthened fencing in vulnerable stretches. It also installed digital information boards and developed LED-based early-warning systems. A WhatsApp group named THADAM links forest staff and local residents. Staff share elephant movements, and residents report sightings at once. In addition, a Command and Control Centre with AI-enabled detection helps spot elephants early. Karthikeyani says protection cannot depend only on enforcement. She says people in elephant areas need timely information and must avoid confrontation.
The work also earned national recognition. Karthikeyani received the Special Jury Award at the 4th Eco Warrior Awards in New Delhi on 29 September 2026. The event was organised by the Indian Forest Service Association and Indian Masterminds. Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav addressed the gathering. In all, 15 forest officers were honoured. Project Elephant was also recognised. Two other Tamil Nadu officers were honoured too. Senbagapriya was recognised for community-based conservation in Mudumalai. N. Jayaraj was honoured for an AI-based system that protects elephants near a railway stretch.
The Wise Take
One officer led two campaigns and removed 239 guns. The story shows that trust can work alongside the law. Karthikeyani did not rely only on punishment. She gave villagers a safe way to hand over their guns. Then she backed it with warnings, searches, and technology. Her work earned the Special Jury Award, but the real reward is the change on the ground. Taking illegal guns out of villages gives elephants a safer path. Wildlife protection works best when communities share the responsibility. Other forest divisions can learn from this approach. Her award is a reminder that conservation needs patience as well as courage. Elephants cannot ask for safety. Someone has to build it for them.
Also read our other article on How Dharam Singh Meena and Tehri’s Villages Brought a Dying River and 126 Springs Back to Life with their massive effort
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