Cumbum: Tamil Nadu government has ordered to tranquilise and capture rogue tusker Arikomban after it triggered panic in Cumbum area on Saturday morning. As per the order, the elephant will be captured on Sunday and sent to Meghamalai Tiger Reserve.
Three kumki elephants will be taken from Anaimalai as part of Mission Arikomban. The district authority and forest department have alerted the public to exercise extreme caution and stay indoors as the elephant strayed into the Cumbum area.
Meanwhile, prohibitory orders under section 144 are in place in Cumbum town. Police booked 20 people for violating the prohibitory orders. Traffic restrictions are also in place on the Cumbummettu route. Police arrested a YouTuber for flying a drone to capture the visuals of the elephant.
According to the latest reports, Arikomban is currently spotted at a farm near a human settlement here. Tamil Nadu Forest Department officials have been trying to shoo away the elephant by bursting crackers.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin and the forest minister held talks on mission Arikomban after videos of the wild pachyderm roaming through the streets came out.
In the visuals, panicked residents were seen running for safety, even as the elephant went around the town bordering Kerala. Three people were injured while trying to flee from the elephant.
The elephant, notorious for its ration shop raids in Kerala and love for rice, also damaged an autorickshaw in the town and uprooted a fence put up around a piece of land.
It was on April 29, Kerala Forest Department translocated the elephant from Chinnakanal in Idukki to Periyar Tiger Reserve. But the elephant continued to travel from the spot where it was released and covered kilometres to reach Tamil Nadu’s Cumbum. It is hinted that the elephant may return to Chinnakanal if it crosses Mathikettan Shola.