Chennai, May 30 (BPNS)
The Tamil Nadu forest department has deployed a five-member tribal team to trace a rogue elephant as its personnel have so far not able to track it.
A veterinary doctor will also be part of the tribal team to trace ‘Arikomban’.
The five-member tribal team, which will be reaching Theni by Tuesday evening, comprises Meen Kalan, Bomman, Suresh, Shiva, and Sreekanth. A veterinary surgeon of the Tamil Nadu forest department, Dr. Rajesh will also accompany the team to assess the health of the elephant.
The five-member team from Muthamala Tiger Reserve will be reaching Theni to trace the elephant which was last detected near the Shanmukhanada river within 3km from the human settlement.
A 150 member Tamil Nadu forest department team is already camping at Cumbum town to tranquilize the elephant and relocate it to some other place. However, with the elephant moving into the deep forest, it is difficult to tranquilize it. They are waiting for it to reach the human settlement in Cumbum or Theni.
However, a high-level meeting of the Tamil Nadu forest department has decided to seek the support of the tribal group of Mauthumala who are experts in reading elephant behaviour and movement.
People of Cumbum town have carried out protests after the death of 57-year-old Palraj who died at Government Theni Medical College hospital after getting himself injured when the two-wheeler in which he was driving was attacked by ‘Arikomban’ last Saturday when it reached Cumbum town.
The elephant has since gone inside the forest and the state forest department officials were waiting patiently for the tusker to appear in a proper area from where it could be captured after tranquilizing.
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