The wild elephant known as “Arikomban,” which caused havoc in Cumbum town in the state’s Theni district, is being pursued by the Tamil Nadu Special task force. On Saturday, the elephant went berserk and has been missing ever since. The elephant has relocated to the edges of the forest, and the special team, which includes professionals in darting and veterinary care, is looking for it. The elephant would be darted and moved to a deep forest, according to a statement made by the Tamil Nadu forest department.
The elephant was transported from the Chinnakanal area in the Idukki region of Kerala on April 29 after the beast killed 11 people and destroyed more than 300 homes and ration shops. It was then fitted with a radio collar to track its movements. The elephant made its way through the Periyar Tiger Reserve in Kerala to the region of Tamil Nadu, where it arrived in Cumbum town on Saturday. The district administration has implemented Section 144 in several places in light of the circumstances.
Earlier Attempts to Capture the Elephant
The Forest Minister, M Mathiventhan, stated that past attempts to catch the elephant had been unsuccessful on numerous occasions. When the elephant was located in the first instance, a YouTuber scared the elephant by attempting to use a drone to capture its image. Several villagers set some crops on fire when the elephant entered a plantain farm to drive it out. The Minister added that people should refrain from participating in such events because they prevent officials from performing their duties.
On April 28, more than 150 officials and four ‘Kumki’ elephants (captive tuskers used in operations against rogue elephants) began the most recent attempt to relocate Arikomban. On the evening of April 29, authorities had managed to apprehend Arikomban and transport him to an “elephant ambulance”—a truck with two poles of wood on its rear that allowed them to collar the elephant and use it as a tracking device. On April 29, the tusker was tranquilized and released into the Periyar Tiger Reserve Project’s Mullaikodi RF. Since then, the elephant has been wandering continuously across Tamil Nadu and Kerala forests.
The Frantic Frenzy Created by the Wild Tusker
Arikomban has gained notoriety over the past few months and has caused dread in some areas of the Idukki district in the adjoining state of Kerala. The name Arikomban, meaning “rice tusker,” literally describes the elephant’s love of rice and its frequent raid of ration stores.
Even as videos of the elephant running around went viral, local authorities issued warnings over the public address system, warning people to stay indoors. In contrast, the untamed elephant roamed the streets. In the town bordering Kerala, terrified locals could be seen running for cover.
Legal Opinions on the Matter
There is disagreement among legal experts on whether the rice-eating tusker Arikomban, which was relocated from Chinnakanal to the Periyar Tiger Reserve, may be caged even if it is captured by the Tamil Nadu government’s mission team, even though efforts are being made to capture it.
According to a team of legal experts, Tamil Nadu won’t be able to cage the elephant because of the Kerala High Court judgment that the Supreme Court upheld. Others, however, believe that the order will not apply to Tamil Nadu because the state was not a party to the lawsuit.
In opposition to the Kerala High Court’s directive not to cage the tusker, the state administration had filed a petition with the Supreme Court. Although the High Court’s order was based on an expert committee’s recommendation, the Supreme Court was unwilling to overturn it. As a result, Tamil Nadu will have to follow the decision of the Kerala High Court.
