Mission Arikompan: trial run postponed

The mission to capture Arikompan will be conducted on March 30 morning around 4 a.m. in case of a favourable High Court verdict on March 29

The Forest department on Tuesday decided to postpone the trial run scheduled for Wednesday to capture wild tusker Arikompan. The High Court has posted a petition on the issue for further hearing on Wednesday.

A meeting held at Devikulam in Munnar on Tuesday decided to divide the 71-member special team tasked with darting and capturing Arikompan into eight groups. “The responsibilities to capture the elephant successfully have been divided among the team members,” said Munnar Assistant Conservator of Forests (ACF) Shanti Tom.

In the meeting, chief forest veterinary surgeon Arun Zachariah described the tasks assigned to each team member. The 71-member team also includes a 26-member Rapid Response Team (RRT) from Wayanad. Four Kumkis (trained elephants) from the Muthanga elephant camp are currently stationed at Cement Palam near Chinnakkanal.

According to officials if the court verdict is favourable, the mission to capture Arikompan will be conducted on Thursday morning around 4 a.m. A vehicle too has been arranged for shifting the elephant if the tusker is captured as planned.

The Chief Wildlife Warden on February 21 issued an order for tranquillising and capturing Arikompan at Chinnakkanal. Devikulam range officer P.V. Vegi said that the order stated that the elephant could be captured, radio-collared, or relocated. “If we fail to capture it, we will affix a radio collar on the tusker and release it back in the forest. The radio collar will provide timely data and the department can monitor its movements,” Mr Vegi said.

According to officials, Arikompan roamed near Cement Palam in Chinnakkanal. “The elephant watchers monitor the movements of the tusker and will ensure it did not move to other areas before the mission Arikompan” said a forest department official.