Idukki: Nearly 10 days after launching 'mission' Arikomban, Tamil Nadu forest department has finally captured the wild tusker; the elephant was darted and caught when it was seen roaming in a residential area at Theni's Poosanampatti on Sunday night.
The task force reportedly fired two tranquiliser shots at the elephant. Susequently, the task force took the animal in the elephant ambulance after tying up the tsuker's legs.
The forest officials are not allowing anyone to enter the spot where the elephant was caught. Manorama News aired visuals of the elephant being ferried in an ambulance.
Three kumki elephants were also part of the mission. It is learnt that the elephant will be translocated deeper into the forest in Meghamalai's Vellimalai.
Tamil Nadu forest department launched mission Arikomban on May 27 after it triggered panic among locals in Cumbum. Thereafter, the district authority imposed prohibitory orders in Cumbum municipality. But the task force failed to execute the mission as Arikomban moved further into deeper forest.
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 km 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.
