Chennai: The Madras High Court has ordered the Tamil Nadu forest department to halt the translocation of wild tusker Arikomban for a day.

According to reports, the Madurai bench of the Madras HC had stayed the translocation of the elephant till Tuesday. The bench stayed the mission while considering a petition filed by Ernakulam native Rebecca Joseph.

Meanwhile, the Forest Department denied reports that the court had released a stay order preventing the translocation of the tusker. 

The elephant will be released in the Manimutharu forest area of Kalakkad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve in Tirunelveli district as decided earlier, the state's Forest Minister Dr M Mathiventhan said on Monday.

Arikomban, which was captured this morning in Theni district after being sedated, is being taken to Kalakadu forest in Nellai district. The elephant was cooled down by splashing water on it near Kovilpatti due to the intense heat.

The wild tusker, known for its love for rice and ration shop raids in Kerala, which was roaming in the Cumbum forest range was tranquilised early on Monday. A team of four veterinary doctors have been monitoring the movement of the elephant and its health since the last few days.

Four teams of forest frontline personnel led by the field director, Srivilliputhur Megamalai Tiger Reserve (SMTR) along with deputy director, Megamalai Division, Srivilliputhur Megamalai Tiger Reserve (SMTR) and the district forest officer, Theni, were monitoring the movement of the elephant.

Arikomban, translocated by the Kerala forest department in the Periyar tiger reserve on April 29, entered the Tamil Nadu forest area on April 30.

(With PTI inputs.)