Rajakumari (Idukki): The menace of rogue tusker ‘Arikomban’ continues at Chinnakanal in Idukki district even as a team of the Kerala Forest Department is camping in the area waiting for the High Court’s approval to capture it.
In the latest incident reported on Saturday, the tusker – which got its name from a fondness for rice – targeted a jeep and its passengers near Anayirankal on the Kochi–Dhanushkodi National Highway.
The jeep, which was heading towards Munnar, had four people, including the driver Sivakumar. Around 10.30 pm, Arikomban appeared in front of the vehicle and noticing the tusker, Sivakumar stopped the jeep. The tusker then rushed towards the vehicle and two of the passengers jumped out and ran along the road.
As Arikomban began chasing these two people, Sivakumar and his friend Madanan, who were still in the jeep, also abandoned the vehicle and ran for safety.
Sometime later, the elephant returned to the spot and pushed the jeep into a drain on the roadside with its tusks. Not satisfied, Arikomban then dragged the jeep back to the middle of the national highway.
Preparations still on
The Forest Department’s task force deputed to capture Arikomban is continuing its preparations. Officials said that the operation to trap the rogue elephant and shift it to Kodanad elephant shelter will start after March 29, if the High Court rules in favour of the government in some appeals filed against the move to capture the wild animal.
“We have learnt that Arikomban has left Periyakanal and is approaching the area where the task force is camping. Measures will be taken with the ‘kumki’ elephants of the Forest Department to prevent the rogue tusker from returning to Periyakanal,” said Dr Arun Zacharia of the task force.
Will follow court order: Minister
Referring to the Arikomban mission, the state’s Forest Minister A K Saseendran admitted that rogue elephants were posing a danger to humans not only in Idukki but also in other districts. These tuskers too may have to be tranquillized soon, he said.
“At the same time, we will go by the High Court on trapping Arikomban,” said the Minister.
Saseendran also alleged that the animal lovers who approached the court against the mission to capture Arikomban had an extremist attitude. “The government will not tolerate love for wildlife ignoring humans and love for people neglecting wild animals,” he said.
‘Manorama’ lensman’s encounter with ‘Murivalan’
Substantiating the Minister’s statement on the presence of numerous wild tuskers in human habitations, ‘Manorama’ photographer Reju Arnold had a close encounter with ‘Murivalan’, a rogue elephant regularly straying into B L Ram, a village in Devikulam, also in Idukki, on Saturday night.
“I received a call around 11 pm that day about the tusker stationed near a house at B L Ram and rushed to the spot on my scooter,” said Reju.
When he reached the village, Reju saw all the residents outside their houses. “None of the villagers had slept, fearing the tusker. I enquired where the tusker stood and some people pointed towards a spot which was very close to my parked scooter,” he said.
However, Reju felt confident as the tusker was in a ditch adjacent to the road and started clicking pictures. Suddenly, the elephant trumpeted and dashed towards Reju and the villagers. “For a moment, I was terrified,” said the lensman.
Most of the villagers ran helter-skelter as the tusker approached, but the others shouted so loudly that the elephant retreated. Instead of moving towards the people, it walked into a space between the houses and disappeared.
