IDUKKI: Rogue tusker Arikomban, who was captured from Chinnakkanal and released into the Periyar Tiger Reserve, has reached a populated area on the Kerala-Tamil Nadu border. Visuals have come out showing Arikomban moving towards the tea plantation after drinking water from a water body at Srivilliputhur near Rajapalayam near Megamalai. Several people, including plantation workers, are living in the Megamalai Valley. Tamil Nadu Forest Department has intensified surveillance after the reports came out. It has also deployed a team of forest guards to prevent the elephant from coming out of the forest.

The elephant went to Megamalai from the Mangala Devi forest region. Many people will come to the Mangala Devi temple as it is the Chitrapournami festival of the temple on Friday. More forest rangers have been deployed as Arikomban is likely to return to the area. The forest rangers have been directed to burst firecrackers to chase away the elephant if necessary.

The elephant has travelled more than 40 kilometres so far. On Wednesday evening, Arikomban was seen in the Mavadi area of the Periyar tiger sanctuary. The watchers had seen the elephant there. The elephant then started its journey at night. It then reached Iravangalar through the border forest area near Vattathotti, Highways Dam, and Upper Manalar. The elephant went to Suruliyar from there. According to the signal from the radio collar, the elephant is reportedly coming to Kerala.

Meanwhile, some newspapers in Tamil Nadu have reported that Arikomban has destroyed the house of a plantation worker in Tamil Nadu. However, there is no confirmation in this regard.