India: Tamil Nadu forest department captures rogue elephant ‘Arikomban’
Protests in state over likely release of elephant in forest
Chennai: The Tamil Nadu forest department on Monday captured the elusive rogue elephant ‘Arikomban’ near Usilampatti town in Theni district.
On April 29, the elephant was captured by the Kerala forest department on April 29, from Chinnakanal in Idukki district and relocated to Periyar Tiger Reserve (PTR).
A week ago, the tusker had ventured into Cumbum town and a security officer, died after the elephant hit the scooter he was riding.
The elephant was captured early Monday after it reached a banana farm near Usilampatti
A 75-member forest team was on vigil for the past few days and three ‘Kumki’ elephants and veterinarians were in the team of forest officials.
A five-member tribal group, experts in tracking elephants, was also deployed by the forest department in the past week.
Sources in the department told IANS that two rounds of tranquilisers were fired on ‘Arikomban’ and it was captured using the support of three ‘Kumki’ elephants.
Protests in TN over likely release of elephant
Local people are in protest near the Manimuthur Checkpost in Tamil Nadu after the forest department brought the rogue elephant Arikomban to the Manimuthar Tiger Reserve for releasing it there.
Manimuthur forest range is in Western Ghats and near the Kerala forest range in Peppara, Thiruvananthapuram.
Local people are of the opinion that bringing the rogue elephant to Manimuthar area will create havoc as around 300 families are staying near the Manchola tea estate in the area.
‘Arikomban’ was captured on April 29, from the Chinnakanal forest range in Idukki district and relocated in Periyar Tiger Reserve and affixed a radio collar on the animal. The signals from the radio signal indicated that the elephant had strayed into Tamil Nadu forest area and a few days before the elephant ventured into the Cumbum town leading to people running for safety. This led to the elephant hitting a two wheeler leading to the death of its occupant, Palraj, a security staff at a private company in Cumbum.