COIMBATORE: Around 2,000 police personnel would be deployed from Masinagudi to Theppakadu on April 9 to provide security for Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to Theppakadu elephant camp in the Nilgiris to honour mahout Bomman and his wife Bellie, heroes of Oscar-winning short documentary film ‘The Elephant Whisperers’.
The 7km stretch, which is situated at the trijunction of Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka, is known for Maoist movement. Hence, Special Task Force personnel from Sathyamangalam and officials of the Naxalite Special Divisions would start conducting joint combing operations in the reserve forest from the morning of April 7. They wouldn’t allow anyone in the reserve forest.
As per the itinerary, Modi would reach Masinagudi town in the Nilgiris district around 9.35am on April 9 on an IAF chopper from Mysuru airport. From there, he would travel to Theppakadu elephant camp by road.
R Sudhakar, inspector general of police (west zone), Coimbatore; C Vijayakumar, deputy inspector general of police, Coimbatore range; and seven superintendents of police would oversee the security arrangements on the stretch.
According to a source, Modi would inspect the elephant camp and interact with the mahouts and their assistants (cavadies) there, before honouring Bomman and Bellie. “He is likely to spend 20 minutes at the camp. He will then return to Mysuru on the same IAF chopper.”
The source said police would conduct thorough checks at the lodges, resorts and other accommodation facilities in and around Theppakadu, Masinagudi and Udhagamandalam town as part of security arrangements.
The 7km stretch, which is situated at the trijunction of Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka, is known for Maoist movement. Hence, Special Task Force personnel from Sathyamangalam and officials of the Naxalite Special Divisions would start conducting joint combing operations in the reserve forest from the morning of April 7. They wouldn’t allow anyone in the reserve forest.
As per the itinerary, Modi would reach Masinagudi town in the Nilgiris district around 9.35am on April 9 on an IAF chopper from Mysuru airport. From there, he would travel to Theppakadu elephant camp by road.
R Sudhakar, inspector general of police (west zone), Coimbatore; C Vijayakumar, deputy inspector general of police, Coimbatore range; and seven superintendents of police would oversee the security arrangements on the stretch.
According to a source, Modi would inspect the elephant camp and interact with the mahouts and their assistants (cavadies) there, before honouring Bomman and Bellie. “He is likely to spend 20 minutes at the camp. He will then return to Mysuru on the same IAF chopper.”
The source said police would conduct thorough checks at the lodges, resorts and other accommodation facilities in and around Theppakadu, Masinagudi and Udhagamandalam town as part of security arrangements.
