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By India Today News Desk: The operation to capture the rogue tusker ‘Arikomban ‘ who was creating chaos in the lives of the people of Idukki district in Kerala has been successfully completed. The elephant was shifted to the Periyar Tiger Reserve. The mission began yesterday at 4.30 am but the task force was unable to locate the elephant.
Mission to capture the rogue elephant
The operation resumed on Sunday morning, and the team finally found Arikomban along with another elephant named Chakkakomban. Using firecrackers, the team was able to send Chakkakomban in another direction and focus on capturing Arikomban.
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The team fired three tranquilizer darts, and with the help of four specially trained Kumki elephants from Wayanad, they were able to bring Arikomban into an animal ambulance. Later, a radio collar was put on and the journey to Periyar started.
The elephant resisted many times while the forest officials were trying to transport it in the vehicle. Even though heavy rain lashed out in the area, the task force team adventurously completed the mission. Section 144 was declared in Chinnakkanal in Idukki and nearby areas before starting the mission.
Dr .Arun Zachariah, senior veterinary officer who led the team, fired at the elephant. Booster doses were given to the elephant at frequent intervals.
‘Arikomban’ is captured and moved to Periyar tiger reserve
The team started its journey with Arikomban late in the evening. The officials did not reveal the place where Arikomban was being shifted, and the elephant was brought to Kumali in Idukki district, around 121 kilometers away from Chinnakkanal.
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Ahead of that, section 144 was declared in the Kumali area, and the authorities restricted electricity supply on the route along which it was transported. The forest officials arranged a special pooja at Kumali to welcome Arikomban. It was released in the deep interior of Periyar Reserve forest.
Rice loving jumbo
The jumbo got the name Arikomban (Ari – rice and Komban – tusker) because of its habit of eating rice. It used to attack the houses of people and ration shops in Chinnakkanal and nearby areas to get rice. The locals started protesting, demanding the relocation of Arikomban.
ALSO READ | Kerala forest department prepares to capture rogue wild tusker
The government decided to shift it to the Parambikulam area but locals along with their MLA staged a protest against it. Meanwhile, an elephant lover approached the Kerala High Court against capturing the elephant.
The court later ordered to capture it and to leave it in the forest.
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