Due to a rise in human-animal conflict in the Indian state of Kerala, a killer elephant has been relocated from its natural habitat to a tiger reserve. This has led to a debate with many activists.

Wild elephant captured for raiding rice fields, killing people in India

<p>Indian elephant infamous for raiding rice shops and killing locals in the southern state of Kerala has been finally relocated to a tiger reserve 80 km away. The elephant Arikomban, which means ‘rice tusker’ in Malayalam, was tranquillised Saturday and shifted to the Periyar Tiger Reserve.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WATCH</a> | "Mission Arikkomban" | Taskforce located the rogue elephant "Arikkomban" earlier today in Chinnakanal, Kerala. It was later captured and shifted to another location. <a href="https://t.co/iRa7sjNAsW">pic.twitter.com/iRa7sjNAsW</a></p>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1652337522385768449?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 29, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Kerala is so beautiful and enchanting. 💜👍<br />
<br />
Watch the send off for 'Arikomban', the elephant who created fear for local people in Chinnakanal, Idukki from Aanaerangal Dam to Periyar forest wildlife reserve near Kumili in Kerala tonight. <a href="https://t.co/ZZJ2ocqjPX">pic.twitter.com/ZZJ2ocqjPX</a></p>
— GEORGE KALLIVAYALIL (@KALLIVAYALIL) <a href="https://twitter.com/KALLIVAYALIL/status/1652359607459926017?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 29, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">This is Konni Surendran,kunki elephant of Kerala who contained dangerous <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Arikomban?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Arikomban</a><br />
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Kunkis are specially trained to contain Rouge wild elephants which are dangerous to people<br />
<br />
K.Govt got Surendran when he was only 2 years old when his mother died on 1999,he got training from TN <a href="https://t.co/0xIBVAnGCz">pic.twitter.com/0xIBVAnGCz</a></p>
— Godfather 💙 (@orgasamist) <a href="https://twitter.com/orgasamist/status/1652928044502331392?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 1, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<h2><strong>Government calls the mission a success</strong></h2>

<p>The Kerala government has called this mission a success, and it is monitoring the 30-year-old elephant’s movements through a radio collar attached to it. It lived near the Devikulam forest range in the Idukki district for decades. However, locals in the area were demanding Arikomban’s removal from the site for months now. According to the government, Arikomban has killed seven people so far, apart from sporadically&nbsp;raiding local rice shops and causing a menace to the shopkeepers.</p>

<h2><strong>Move met by resentment from animal welfare associations</strong></h2>

<p>According to animal welfare activists, the issue is related to the wider debate around human-wildlife conflict, which can’t be taken care of by simply getting rid of the animals. Indian Express also quoted local sources to claim that the elephant became hostile only after human population in the area grew massively.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Watch:&nbsp;India: At least 5 elephants died of electrocution in Tamil Nadu</strong></p>

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<p>The elephant began damaging buildings and concrete houses to forage for rice, and that’s how the years-old conflict between Arikomban and tribals started. To solve the issue, the Kerala Forest Department initially wanted to capture Arikomban and make him a permanent captive. However, the animal welfare organisations vehemently opposed the suggestion and moved to Kerala High Court.</p>

<p>The high court then formed a five-member committee to resolve the issue, which recommended the elephant be moved to another location where such human-wildlife conflict can be avoided. The committee suggested the authorities shift the elephant to the Parambikulam Tiger Reserve in the Palakkad district. However, this sparked a protest by locals in the area.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Later, it was decided that Arikomban will be shifted to Periyar Tiger Reserve.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/india-at-least-5-elephants-died-of-electrocution-in-tamil-nadu-in-20-days-581133">Also Read |&nbsp;India: At least 5 elephants died of electrocution in Tamil Nadu in 20 days</a></strong></p>

<p>The government had formed a task force of 150 officials to capture and track Arikomban. It was tranquillised and then transported to the tiger reserve in a truck. The authorities had imposed a curfew in the area to stymie protests by locals. However, as per a report by BBC, the arrival of the elephant was met with cheers.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Animal welfare activists wanted to keep the elephant in its original habitat. However, later they realised the people in the area had become hostile, and the problem could only be solved if the elephant is permanently relocated. &nbsp;</p>

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Indian elephant infamous for raiding rice shops and killing locals in the southern state of Kerala has been finally relocated to a tiger reserve 80 km away. The elephant Arikomban, which means ‘rice tusker’ in Malayalam, was tranquillised Saturday and shifted to the Periyar Tiger Reserve.

Indian elephant infamous for raiding rice shops and killing locals in the southern state of Kerala has been finally relocated to a tiger reserve 80 km away. The elephant Arikomban, which means ‘rice tusker’ in Malayalam, was tranquillised Saturday and shifted to the Periyar Tiger Reserve. #WATCH | "Mission Arikkomban" | Taskforce located the rogue elephant "Arikkomban" earlier today in Chinnakanal, Kerala. It was later captured and shifted to another location. pic.twitter.com/iRa7sjNAsW — ANI (@ANI) April 29, 2023 × Kerala is so beautiful and enchanting. 💜👍 Watch the send off for 'Arikomban', the elephant who created fear for local people in Chinnakanal, Idukki from Aanaerangal Dam to Periyar forest wildlife reserve near Kumili in Kerala tonight. pic.twitter.com/ZZJ2ocqjPX — GEORGE KALLIVAYALIL (@KALLIVAYALIL) April 29, 2023 × This is Konni Surendran,kunki elephant of Kerala who contained dangerous #Arikomban Kunkis are specially trained to contain Rouge wild elephants which are dangerous to people K.Govt got Surendran when he was only 2 years old when his mother died on 1999,he got training from TN pic.twitter.com/0xIBVAnGCz — Godfather 💙 (@orgasamist) May 1, 2023 × Government calls the mission a success The Kerala government has called this mission a success, and it is monitoring the 30-year-old elephant’s movements through a radio collar attached to it. It lived near the Devikulam forest range in the Idukki district for decades. However, locals in the area were demanding Arikomban’s removal from the site for months now. According to the government, Arikomban has killed seven people so far, apart from sporadically raiding local rice shops and causing a menace to the shopkeepers. Move met by resentment from animal welfare associations According to animal welfare activists, the issue is related to the wider debate around human-wildlife conflict, which can’t be taken care of by simply getting rid of the animals. Indian Express also quoted local sources to claim that the elephant became hostile only after human population in the area grew massively. Watch: India: At least 5 elephants died of electrocution in Tamil Nadu × The elephant began damaging buildings and concrete houses to forage for rice, and that’s how the years-old conflict between Arikomban and tribals started. To solve the issue, the Kerala Forest Department initially wanted to capture Arikomban and make him a permanent captive. However, the animal welfare organisations vehemently opposed the suggestion and moved to Kerala High Court. The high court then formed a five-member committee to resolve the issue, which recommended the elephant be moved to another location where such human-wildlife conflict can be avoided. The committee suggested the authorities shift the elephant to the Parambikulam Tiger Reserve in the Palakkad district. However, this sparked a protest by locals in the area. Later, it was decided that Arikomban will be shifted to Periyar Tiger Reserve. Also Read | India: At least 5 elephants died of electrocution in Tamil Nadu in 20 days The government had formed a task force of 150 officials to capture and track Arikomban. It was tranquillised and then transported to the tiger reserve in a truck. The authorities had imposed a curfew in the area to stymie protests by locals. However, as per a report by BBC, the arrival of the elephant was met with cheers. Animal welfare activists wanted to keep the elephant in its original habitat. However, later they realised the people in the area had become hostile, and the problem could only be solved if the elephant is permanently relocated. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

Over dozen police vehicles, one lorry, 122-km trip - how India's Kerala moved tranquilised tusker 'Arikomban'

<p>A rogue elephant named 'Arikomban', which broke into homes&nbsp;and ration shops&nbsp;to steal rice and caused massive destruction in the southern Indian state of Kerala, has been tranquilised and shifted to the deep interiors of Periyar Tiger Reserve. In the local Malayalam language, 'Arikomban' stands for 'rice tusker'.</p>

<p>Dr Arun Zachariah, the senior veterinary officer who led the team of forest officials behind this capture, said, “Arikomban was brought to Kumali in the Idukki district around 121 kilometres away from Chinnakkanal. Section 144 was declared in the Kumali area and restricted electricity supply on the way it was transported.”&nbsp;</p>

<p>Another official said that the elephant has been radio-collared and that the signals from it will be monitored from the tiger reserve.</p>

<p>"We are getting signals from the radio collar. His location will be monitored from the tiger reserve. He is very healthy," he said.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/massive-security-breach-at-narendra-modis-mysuru-rally-phone-thrown-at-indian-pms-convoy-587639">Massive security breach at Narendra Modi's Mysuru rally, phone thrown at Indian PM's convoy</a></strong></p>

<p>Sharing details about the 'Arikomban' mission, a forest official said that on the first day of the operation, their team 'wasn't lucky' and that on the second day, they were able to tranquilise the tusker after another elephant, who was Arikomban's competitor, brought the rice-favouring elephant before the forest officials.</p>

<p>Kerala Forest Minister AK Saseendran, on April 19, directed the forest officials to discover a new place for shifting the rice-eating tusker after it created destruction in the Idukki district.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Kerala High Court asked the state government on April 20 to relocate the wild elephant within a week and stated that if the tusker is not relocated within a week, it will be transferred to Parambikulam wildlife sanctuary.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/watch-india-gets-its-first-cable-stayed-rail-bridge-with-96-cables-587599">Watch | India gets its first 'cable-stayed rail bridge' with 96 cables</a></strong></p>

<p>Talking to reports, the Kerala forest minister said, “As a government, we have to act according to the decisions of the courts of justice. We will not shy away from it. That would not be good practice. It is not a democratic practice. The officials of the forest department have been directed to find a new place to shift the Arikomban. They will give it by tomorrow morning. It will inform the High Court which is the best proposal”.</p>

<p>“We do not intend to prolong it indefinitely. Had elephant lovers not questioned the government’s decision, a solution could have been found by the 12th of last month. Unfortunately, it couldn’t,” he added.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE</strong></p>

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A rogue elephant named 'Arikomban', which broke into homes and ration shops to steal rice and caused massive destruction in the southern Indian state of Kerala, has been tranquilised and shifted to the deep interiors of Periyar Tiger Reserve.

A rogue elephant named 'Arikomban', which broke into homes and ration shops to steal rice and caused massive destruction in the southern Indian state of Kerala, has been tranquilised and shifted to the deep interiors of Periyar Tiger Reserve. In the local Malayalam language, 'Arikomban' stands for 'rice tusker'. Dr Arun Zachariah, the senior veterinary officer who led the team of forest officials behind this capture, said, “Arikomban was brought to Kumali in the Idukki district around 121 kilometres away from Chinnakkanal. Section 144 was declared in the Kumali area and restricted electricity supply on the way it was transported.” Another official said that the elephant has been radio-collared and that the signals from it will be monitored from the tiger reserve. "We are getting signals from the radio collar. His location will be monitored from the tiger reserve. He is very healthy," he said. Also read | Massive security breach at Narendra Modi's Mysuru rally, phone thrown at Indian PM's convoy Sharing details about the 'Arikomban' mission, a forest official said that on the first day of the operation, their team 'wasn't lucky' and that on the second day, they were able to tranquilise the tusker after another elephant, who was Arikomban's competitor, brought the rice-favouring elephant before the forest officials. Kerala Forest Minister AK Saseendran, on April 19, directed the forest officials to discover a new place for shifting the rice-eating tusker after it created destruction in the Idukki district. The Kerala High Court asked the state government on April 20 to relocate the wild elephant within a week and stated that if the tusker is not relocated within a week, it will be transferred to Parambikulam wildlife sanctuary. Also read | Watch | India gets its first 'cable-stayed rail bridge' with 96 cables Talking to reports, the Kerala forest minister said, “As a government, we have to act according to the decisions of the courts of justice. We will not shy away from it. That would not be good practice. It is not a democratic practice. The officials of the forest department have been directed to find a new place to shift the Arikomban. They will give it by tomorrow morning. It will inform the High Court which is the best proposal”. “We do not intend to prolong it indefinitely. Had elephant lovers not questioned the government’s decision, a solution could have been found by the 12th of last month. Unfortunately, it couldn’t,” he added. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Indian forest officials tranquilise, capture rogue rice-raiding tusker 'Arikomban'

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