Rice-eating elephant 'Arikomban' attacks ration shop in Tamil Nadu; Read details

Days after moving from Idukki's Chinnakanal to the Periyar tiger reserve, the elephant has been roaming in the Meghamalai region of Tamil Nadu's Theni district.

Idukki: The translocated wild jumbo Arikomban continues to trigger panic as it attacked a ration shop at Manalar estate in Tamil Nadu on Sunday night. 
Arikomban allegedly vandalised the window of a ration shop, however, he did not take the rice. According to reports, the elephant retreated to the forest after raiding the ration shop. The report further stated that the jumbo left a few parked vehicles close to the Public Distribution Shops (PDS) unattended.

Days after moving from Idukki's Chinnakanal to the Periyar tiger reserve, the elephant has been roaming in the Meghamalai region of Tamil Nadu's Theni district. If Arikomban goes back to the Periyar Tiger Reserve, it will be a huge relief for both Kerala and Tamil Nadu.

The distance between Meghamala, the new location of the moved elephant, and Manalar Estate is roughly 10 kilometres. The Tamil Nadu Forest Department was the first to determine that Arikomban was responsible for the raid on Monday.

Prior to transporting the animal to the Periyar Tiger Reserve, a task force under the direction of the Kerala Forest Department had darted it. The elephant apparently walked free 20 kilometres into the jungle. The Kerala High Court had previously ordered that the precise site of the animal's release remain a secret. The elephant has a radio collar on it that will let authorities know when it moves.

The elephant has been staying put at the same spot, surrounded by residences and tea gardens, for the past few days despite making a few trips back to the Kerala forest zone after wandering into Meghamalai.

Arikomban was captured by the forest department near human settlements in Chinnakanal late last month and released at a spot in the Periyar Reserve. As of now, it has travelled 40 kilometres from that location.