Chennai, May 29 (BPNS)
Tamil Nadu forest department is gearing up to capture the rogue wild elephant, ‘Arikomban’ which is moving around the human settlements near Cumbum town in Theni district.
The elephant which was relocated from Kerala’s Chinnakanal forest area in Idukki district on April 29, 2023 to the Periyar Tiger Reserve (PTR) on Saturday ran among the public in Cumbum town of Theni district. Three people fell down and injured themselves when they were running for safety from the elephant.
The Tamil Nadu forest department has issued a directive on Saturday itself that the animal should be darted and captured and relocated in to deep forest. However the elephant went into deep forest on Sunday morning and the Tamil Nadu forest department team comprising of three ‘Kumki’ elephants, two veterinarians and a team of forest officials are camping at Cumbum town.
The state forest minister, Meyyanathan Siva has said that the forest department would tranquilize and capture the elephant if it forays into human settlement.
It may be noted that the rogue tusker named ‘Arikomban’ (Ari in Malayalam is rice and Komban means tusker) has been relocated from Kerala after protests from the local people. The elephant has reportedly killed 11 people and destroyed 300 houses and shops in the Chinnakanal area of Idukki district.
The elephant was relocated around 100 km away from Chinnakanal to Periyar Tiger Reserve after tranquilizing it and radio-collaring the animal. Forest officials of Kerala and Tamil Nadu are monitoring the movement of the elephant.
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