Iritty: A fierce and unending battle is raging at Aralam between wild elephants and the Rapid Response Team, with the animals repeatedly tearing down solar fences and officials scrambling to rebuild them before the next raid.

The RRT personnel are now working round the clock to drive wild elephants that stray into human settlements back into the forest. But the animals often return by pushing trees onto the solar fence, damaging it and making their way back into inhabited areas. This relentless struggle between the elephants and the RRT over the barrier is almost as old as the solar fencing itself.

The Block 10 Kottappara region of Aralam has emerged as the worst hit area, where wild elephants have been extensively destroying fences.The attacks have been so intense that even the newly installed double line hanging fence is being breached with ease.

A violent tuskless male elephant, locally known as Mozha, has been leading these attacks on the solar fence. Just the other day, the same elephant appeared in front of the house of Aneesh, who had been killed in one of its earlier attacks. After creating panic in front of the house, it broke a nearby stretch of the solar fence before retreating into the forest.

With the onset of the mango, cashew and jackfruit season, elephants are increasingly venturing into residential areas in search of food. Mozha is joined in these fence breaking raids by several other elephants locally known as Cheriya Mozha, Kallery Komban, Kori Komban and Motta Komban.