Rogue tusker Arikomban enters residential areas in TN's Cumbum, to be tranquilised
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Chennai: The rogue wild tusker, nicknamed 'Arikomban', which was relocated from Chinnakanal in Idukki district of Kerala to Periyar Tiger Reserve near Tamil Nadu border has entered Cumbum town in Theni district in Tamil Nadu.
The elephant was seen roaming through the town on Saturday morning.
Arikompan has been making the rounds along the Kerala-Tamil Nadu border since April 30, when it was released into the Periyar Tiger Reserve.
A few days later, the tusker was seen in Megamalai and mock-charged at a bus in Chinnamanur. After having camped at Megamalai for over a week, the tusker returned to the Kerala border on May 22. It is said to have moved into the Tamil Nadu forests on Friday.
"We will be tranquilising the elephant and relocating it to deep forest. The forest department team is ready for that," Chief Wildlife Warden of Tamil Nadu, Sreenivas Reddy told The Hindu.
“The kumkis and elephant vehicles are on the way to where the tusker is now. We will start the operation in the afternoon and release Arikompan inside the forest. After moving past houses on the streets of Cumbum, the tusker is said to have reached a tamarind grove. At the moment it is resting there undisturbed,” he said.
Police personnel are also involved in assisting the Forest Department in its efforts to move Arikompan out of the residential areas of Cumbam.
Meanwhile, the two allies of the ruling Left Front in Kerala began a sparring session as Arikomban was seen terrorising residents at Cumbum town in Tamil Nadu.
The third biggest ally of the ruling Left here, Kerala Congress (M) top leader Jose K. Mani described the relocation of Arikomban as a failed operation.
"This is nothing but an invited disaster as even in other parts of the world, this relocation operation has turned out to be a failure. The need of the hour is to rewrite the Wildlife laws," said Mani, a member of the Rajya Sabha as he was reacting to the news that Arikomban has reached Cumbum, close to the popular wild life sanctuary and tourist place in Kerala, Thekkady.
Incidentally, the Forest and Wildlife Minister A. K. Saseendran represents the NCP and reacting to Mani's barbs, he said the relocation operation cannot be termed as a failed operation.
"The trouble started after elephant lovers approached the judiciary. The department's plan was not to drive away the elephant into the forests. At the moment the said elephant is located in Tamil Nadu and our officials are regularly in touch with them," said Saseendran.
The reason Mani's party is up in arms is that their strongholds are areas that are closer to the forests in Kottayam, Pathanamthitta and Kozhikode districts and have come under severe attacks from tigers, elephants and wild gaurs, causing loss of lives and huge damage to crops.
As Arikomban was creating a ruckus in Cumbum, came the news that a tiger is on the prowl in Pathanamthitta district causing a scare among the villagers at Vadeserikara.
Local legislator Pramod Narayan who belongs to the Kerala Congress (M) slammed the Forest department and said if a wild animal makes life miserable for human beings, then it should be shot and wish it happens here.
Meanwhile, at Kozhikode, a rubber tapper who was doing his job was attacked by a gaur and caused serious injuries. He is presently under treatment at a hospital.
With inputs from agencies
