Coimbatore: Efforts to chase the crop-raiding tusker Chinna Thambi away into the reserve forest failed for yet another time on Saturday when it attempted to attack a kumki, which along with its partner in the job, ran for their lives.Chinna Thambi, which had been roaming around sugarcane fields near Amaravathi cooperative sugar mill for the past one week, had on Friday moved to Sarkar Kannadiputhur, where it camped in an area close to plantain, coconut and sugarcane farms.On Saturday morning, forest officials tried to chase the wild elephant, which was in a sugarcane field, away into the reserve forest with the help of kumkis Kaleem and Mariappan. But Chinna Thambi attempted to attack Mariappan, which ran out of the sugarcane field with fear. Seeing him run, Kumki Kaleem also followed suit.Forest officials said Mariappan could not anymore be used to chase away Chinna Thambi, as the former would be now afraid of the wild elephant. “So, we have sent Mariappan to Varakaliyar elephant camp near Topslip at night. We are now planning to bring another kumki Suyambu on Sunday.”When contacted, Amaravathi forest range officer Murugesan said Chinna Thambi has moved to another sugarcane field at Neelambur in Amaravathi forest range. “The elephant is roaming in the sugarcane field located at least 15km from the reserve forest. Efforts to chase the animal away into the forest will continue.”

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