'Arikomban' spotted again in Kumily town of Idukki but this time just 100 m away from human settlement

  Wild tusker 'Arikomban' was once again spotted in Rosapookandam, Kumily on Thursday at 11 pm, just 100 meters away from human settlement. The animal was reportedly driven back into the forest by firing warning shots into the sky and making noise, according to the forest authorities.

Idukki: Wild tusker 'Arikomban' was once again spotted in Rosapookandam, Kumily on Thursday at 11 pm, just 100 metres away from human settlement.

The animal was reportedly driven back into the forest by firing warning shots into the sky and making noise, according to the forest authorities.

The rice-eating wild tusker 'Arikomban', which was translocated from Idukki's Chinnakanal to Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary returned to the Kumily town area the other day. Arikomban was spotted within a six-kilometer radius of Kumily as per the aerial distance estimation on Wednesday.

The elephant returned to the Medakanam area where it was freed and is housed in the Periyar Tiger Sanctuary's forested area.

The data from the tusker's GPS collar and the VHF are being monitored by the forest authorities. 

The elephant arrived in Kerala's forest from Tamil Nadu six days ago. On Sunday, it damaged the watchers' temporary tent belonging to the Forest Department.

Meanehile, the Special Branch of the Kerala Police is currently investigating a financial fraud involving the protection of the wild elephant Arikomban. A WhatsApp campaign purportedly raised lakhs of rupees for an online "animal lovers organization'.

M R Ajit Kumar, the additional director general of police, is in charge of the probe. 

The money allegedly came from the members of the WhatsApp group under the pretense of starting legal proceedings to return the animal to its natural habitat in Chinnakanal and to purchase it rice, which is one of its favourite foods. Sreejith Perumana, a social activist and lawyer, filed a complaint about this, prompting the investigation.