Kannur: The Kerala forest department has initiated action to scare away the wild elephant that strayed into the residential areas of Ulikkal here on Wednesday. The department deployed a team after six people were injured while fleeing from the tusker. The injured are undergoing treatment at various hospitals.

Though the Ulikkal has been placed on high alert, sources said people are camping in the town to witness the forest department's operation. The team deployed here is bursting crackers to shoo the elephant away. According to the officials, firing tranquiliser shots is not possible as the elephant may run amok, posing a threat to the people.

Meanwhile, forest minister A K Saseendran said the priority is driving the elephant back into the forest. 

Forest officials have been trying to scare the elephant away from the town to a cashew nut farm. But their efforts failed as the jumbo ran to a small wooded area near a mosque, which is only 20 metres away from houses. The forest department officials believe the elephant might have strayed into the residential area from the Karnataka forest range.

Manorama News reported that the wild tusker has moved 2 km away from the town. Though it has retreated to the forest path, the elephant has not entered the jungle. 

Villagers said the elephant destroyed a compound wall of a house while running amok in the residential area. Forest officials are monitoring the elephant's movements, sources said.