Kerala HC Orders Capture, Radio-Collaring, Translocation of Rogue Elephant

New Delhi: The Kerala High Court on Thursday ordered the capture, radio-collaring, and translocation of a rogue wild elephant. This rogue elephant named Arikomban has created havoc in the hilly region of Chinnakanal and the Shanthanpara in Kerala’s Idukki district.

The High Court ordered the district collector of Idukki to personally monitor the translocation of this tusker to the Parambikulam Tiger Reserve.

An expert committee constituted by the High Court recommended its capture and translocation. The HC said, “No celebrations or beating of drums or bursting of crackers shall be allowed anywhere near the animal after its capture or during its transport.”

Earlier, the Kerala High Court, for the first time, held a special sitting at night to consider petitions by activists to protect the rights of wild animals and suspend an operation to capture Arikomban, a rogue wild elephant, till March 29.

Kerala’s forest department had planned to use four Kumki elephants, Kunju, Konni Surendran, Suryan, and Vikram, to capture ‘Arikomban’, the rogue wild elephant.