Munnar: The forest department will conduct a mock drill for the task force assigned to trap the rogue tusker 'Arikomban'.
The drill, which is scheduled to be held on March 29, will see all 71 members of the task force divided into 11 groups. Each group will be assigned a task.
Forest guards too will be part of the mission. Through the mock drill, the forest department intends to give precise instructions and assign specific roles to all members.
Though the High Court deferred the mission to capture Arikomban using tranquillizers till March 29, the forest department has not ruled it out as an option and is continuing its preparations.
Meanwhile, two more kumki elephants -- Kunju from Aanapanthi in Muthanga and Konni Surendran -- reached Chinnakanal as part of the mission.
Earlier, kumki elephants Vikram and Surya were brought to Santhanpara for the mission.
A 26-member task force led by tranquillizer expert Dr Arun Zacharia has reached Chinnakanal as well.
The aim of the mission is to trap the rice-loving jumbo using a tranquillizer and shift it to the elephant kraal in Kodanad near Ernakulam.
Wild elephants cannot be left astray: Forest Minister
Forest Minister A K Saseendran said the department cannot turn a blind eye towards wild elephants straying into human habitats and causing a menace to people.
"It would be impossible to release the elephants back into the forest without tranquillizing them first," said the minister.
He further said the stand to let the tusker be and not capture it was an extreme one. "It is not an issue that is up for discussion or can be solved so," said Saseendran.
