Security beefed up ahead of PM Modi’s Nilgiris visit

Udhagamandalam: A helicopter trial flight from the helipad at Masinagudi near Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (MTR) to Mysuru was conducted on Friday as Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to take off from Masinagudi helipad in a MI-17 helicopter to Mysuru after visiting the Theppakadu elephant camp in MTR on Sunday.
An abandoned helipad in Masinagudi has been restored for the purpose.
Combing operations are being conducted in forest areas in MTR, and check posts and forest areas in the Nilgiris are under scanner, a senior police officer said. “About 2,000 police personnel are deployed across the district and a five-tier security system is in place. However, the exact schedule of the PM to Mudumalai is yet to be informed,” he said.
Modi is expected to reach the elephant camp by road from Bandipur Tiger Reserve, traversing 20km, on Sunday. Later, he will travel 7km by road to reach the helipad at Masinagudi.
According to sources, he will meet mahout couple Bomman and Bellie, who were in limelight recently for their performance in ‘The Elephant Whisperers’, which won the 2023 Oscar for best documentary short film.
After visiting Theppakadu, Modi will attend a function in Mysuru to celebrate 50 successful years of Project Tiger initiative.