Efforts on to nab Arikomban, says Stalin; announces Rs 10 lakh ex gratia to victim's kin

Theni/Chennai: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Tuesday condoled the death of 56 year-old Paulraj who died after being allegedly being attacked by wild tusker Arikomban. He also announced Rs 5 lakh relief to the family of the victim.

The Chief Minister said the state Forest Department was taking all efforts to nab the rogue wild tusker Arikomban, after it strayed into the state from neighbouring Kerala last week and allegedly attacked a man in Theni who later died.

Known for its love for rice and ration shop raids in Kerala, Arikomban was last month translocated to the Periyar Tiger Reserve there, before it strayed into Cumbum town in Tamil Nadu's Theni district on May 27.

In a statement in Chennai, Stalin said a team of experienced forest officials has been formed under the field director of Srivilliputhur Megamalai Tiger Reserve to nab the wild tusker.

Further, a team of veterinarians and 16 other experienced personnel were monitoring the movement of the pachyderm and efforts were on to "safely" direct it into the forest area, he said.

"A separate control room for this purpose has been set up at the Cumbum forest range office. Around 200 forest personnel from elsewhere have been deployed for the security of the local people," the chief minister added.

(With PTI inputs.)