Arikomban remains elusive; Forest officials say they spotted Chakkakomban at Cement Palam

Idukki: The forest department has failed to trace the wild elephant Arikomban even after launching a concerted mission to tranquilize and translocate it to another location.

Earlier, it was reported that the task force had located the elephant at Cement Palam with a herd of elephants. But the officials later confirmed that they had spotted Chakkakomban and mistook it to be Arikomban. They learnt about their mistake after inspecting the spot where the elephant was seen.

Talking to Manorama News, the natives stated that Arikomban was roaming around 301 Colony on Thursday night. They expressed protest over not including any villagers in the task force for spotting the elephant. They noted that the mission would not succeed unless the forest department include people like villagers or local forest watchers who are aware of the elephant and its movements.

The task force launched Mission Arikomban around 4.30 am on Friday after a meeting at the Chinnakanal Fatima Matha School. TV channels also aired the visuals of the elephants seen at the Cement Palam area after the forest department claimed that Arikomban was spotted among the herd of elephants. 

The task force had planned to complete the mission within 4 hours on Friday. But as Arikomban continues to remain untraceable, the mission will be delayed, sources said. The task force is camping in 301 Colony anticipating the tusker.

The 25-year-old tusker is nicknamed Arikomban as it used to raid ration shops and houses to eat raw rice (called 'ari' in Malayalam). In an affidavit filed before the Kerala High Court, the government claimed that Arikomabn had killed over seven people in Idukki and vandalised several houses and shops.