Kochi: The High Court on Wednesday rejected the Forest Department's plea seeking permission to tranquilize and capture Arikomban, the loner jumbo that has been wreaking havoc in the Munnar area. The plea had also sought permission to keep the animal in captivity at Kodanadu elephant camp.
The court, in its order, directed the officials to fix a radio collar on the tusker instead of capturing it. "The decision over relocating the elephant will be taken following a report from the expert panel,” the court added.
A team of the Kerala Forest Department has been camping in the area waiting for the High Court’s approval to capture the elephant.
Officials said the operation to trap the rogue elephant and shift it to Kodanad elephant shelter will start after March 29, if the High Court rules in favour of the government in some appeals filed against the move to capture the wild animal.
After organisations such as People for Animals (Trivandrum chapter) and Walking Eye Foundation for Animal Advocacy filed a petition, the High Court stayed the mission to capture Arikomban till Wednesday.
The forest department submitted documents and evidence in court that reveal the severity of the wild elephant attacks in the Chinnakanal and Santhanpara areas. Dean Kuriakose MP had also impleaded himself in the case.
