Civic authorities made announcements on public address systems, cautioning people to stay indoors, even as videos of the elephant went viral.
Arikomban roaming through Cumbum. (Screengrab)
Rogue tusker Arikomban, translocated to the Periyar Tiger Reserve in Kerala last month, strayed into Cumbum in the Theni district of Tamil Nadu on Saturday, 27 May, attacking one person and destroying property.
With the wild pachyderm roaming through the streets, civic authorities made announcements on public address systems, cautioning people to stay indoors, even as videos of the elephant running around went viral.
Panicked local residents were seen running for safety, even as Arikomban went around Cumbum town, bordering Kerala.
It attacked one person, identified as Paulraj, and he is under treatment at a government hospital, authorities said.
Local MLA, ‘Cumbum’ N Eramakrishnan took up the matter with Forest department authorities and discussions were on to translocate it by tranquilising it or tame it using a trained ‘kumki’ elephant.
The elephant, notorious for its ration shop raids in neighbouring Kerala and love for rice, also damaged an autorickshaw in the town, apart from half a dozen other vehicles, a police officer told South First.
According to residents, it also uprooted a fence put up around a piece of land.
It was spotted roaming around the inlands of Kumily in the Idukki district of Kerala on Thursday, causing some worry among locals, forest officials said.
The jumbo was said to be found just some metres away from an inhabited area in Kumily, around 85 km away from its original abode Chinnakkanal, on Thursday night, they said.
The elephant was also spotted in the Rosapookkandam area last night and the wildlife officials fired in the air to drive it back to the forest, a senior forest official said.
The pachyderm was captured in what was called “Mission Arikomban”, which culminated on 29 April, when the eponymous rice-thieving tusker was subdued with tranquillisers and relocated to the Periyar Tiger Reserve.
An earlier move to shift Arikomban to Parambikulam Tiger Reserve in Palakkad was abandoned after intense protests by locals living close to the forest there.
Arikomban is a portmanteau of the Malayalam words Ari, meaning rice, and Komban, meaning tusker.
The elephant, with short tusks, a stout physique, and a broad skull, is reportedly aged 25.
There are unsubstantiated claims that he killed seven people besides vandalising numerous houses and shops.
The elephant, with a penchant for rice, remained elusive till early morning on Saturday despite large-scale arrangements to capture him.
The preparations included a dummy ration shop, four kumkis (trained elephants), and eight teams of more than 30 elephant experts.
Noted forest veterinarian Arun Zakaria coordinated the efforts.
According to officials, Arikomban was captured after administering tranquilliser darts five times.
(With PTI inputs)
Apr 27, 2024
Apr 27, 2024
Apr 27, 2024
Apr 27, 2024
Apr 27, 2024
Apr 27, 2024
