Idukki: The rogue elephant Arikomban, captured from the Chinnakanal by a special taskforce is being transported to the Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary. Forest department officials said Methakanam in the Periyar Tiger Reserve in Idukki was chosen to release it.
Electricity in the Chinnakanal-Kumily route was turned off to transfer the elephant. Despite being hit with five darts, Arikomban tried to resist efforts to restrain him and board onto an open lorry. However, the taskforce managed to begin their journey after 6 pm and is expected to arrive at the destination late in the night.
The government has imposed section 144 (curfew) in Kumily to avoid protest against the decision. Earlier, the people of Parambikulam protested when the Kerala High Court appointed an expert committee that suggested transferring the elephant to the Palakkad forest. They later approached the court which then asked the government to find a suitable place for the elephant. The court objected to the government’s decision to keep the elephant in captivity at Kodanad Elephant Training Centre.
The government later informed the court that it was unable to finalise a location. The shortlisted locations were handed over to the expert committee which picked the location. Arikomban was taken to Periyar on a lorry, accompanied by several other government vehicles. The traffic on the route was regulated. The elephant was tranquilized by Saturday evening.
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