Chennai, May 31( BPNS)
The Tamil Nadu forest department is monitoring the movement of the rogue elephant, ‘Arikomban’ who created havoc in Cumbum town on May 27 and now slipped into deep forest.
The forest department has constituted a 150-member team of officials drawn from various forest divisions to tranquilize and capture and relocate the elephant.
A control room is constituted in Cumbum town by the Tamil Nadu forest department to monitor the movement of the elephant. It is to be noted that ‘Arikomban’ who had killed a few people and destroyed several homes and shops in Chinnakanal, Idukki district of Kerala was tranquilized, captured and relocated to the deep forests in Periyar Tiger Reserve (PTR) 100 km from Idukki on April 29.
A radio collar was affixed on the elephant to monitor its movement. It was found that the elephant was moving around in deep forest and occasionally foraying into the Tamil Nadu areas.
On May 27, the elephant suddenly surfaced in Cumbum town and ran amok among the people. The elephant hit a two-wheeler on which a person working in a private security firm , S. Palraj (57) was traveling. The man sustained head injuries in the attack by the and he succumbed on Tuesday.
Tamil Nadu forest department immediately constituted a special team including 150 forest personnel, 3 kumki elephants and 3 veterinarians to tranquilize and capture the elephant. However, the elephant moved 3 km away from the human settlement and signals from the radio collar indicated that the elephant was moving inside the forest.
Chief Minister M.K. Stalin who was in Tokyo, Japan announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh to the family of the deceased Palraj and announced that the elephant would be captured.
The forest department also constituted a five-member tribal team who are experts in tracking the elephant and drawn from Mudumalai Tiger Reserve. The five tribals who have joined the team are Suresh, Sreekanth, Siva, Bomman, and Meen Kalan. A veterinarian, Dr. Rajesh is also accompanying the team.
However, the animal is yet to be caught. It is still inside the forest near the Shanmukhanada river.
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