Cumbum: Tamil Nadu Forest Department's efforts to tranquilise wild tusker Arikomban was delayed on Sunday as the task force failed to spot the elephant. According to the signals from the VHF antenna, the elephant has already left Surulipatti area and probably started to retreat into the deep forest, said the forest officials. The signals suggest that the elephant has been moving towards Meghamalai Tiger Reserve from Koothanachi.
The forest department launched Mission Arikomban on Sunday morning after the government issued an official order to capture and relocate the tusker. Manorama News reported that the forest department is likely to abort the mission if the elephant withdraws itself to the forest.
Three kumki elephants and the task force have been camping in Cumbum as part of the mission from the wee hours of Sunday.
Meanwhile, the district authority has clamped prohibitory orders in Cumbum after Arikomban triggered panic in the area on Saturday morning.
Arikomban was relocated from Idukki's Chinnakanal following a High Court order in Kerala. It was on April 29, the Kerala Forest Department translocated the elephant to the Periyar tiger reserve which is located 105 kilometres away from Idukki' Chinnakanal. But the elephant continued to travel from the spot where it was released and covered kilometres of distance to reach Tamil Nadu's Cumbum. It is hinted that the elephant may return to Chinnakanal if it crosses the Mathikettan Shola area.
