After Arikompan, a tusker which has displayed a penchant for raiding ration shops for provisions, another wild elephant addicted to jackfruit in homesteads bordering forests at Santhanpara and Chinnakkanal grama panchayats in Idukki has made an unnerving habit of foraying into habitations for its choice food. The habit has earned it the soubriquet Chakkakompan (chakka is jackfruit and komban means tusker).
Forest officials say Chakkakompan regularly raids farmlands bordering forests in the two panchayats for jackfruit. Alarmed over its incursions, the department has directed farmers to pluck the fruit when it is raw at these places.
“The tusker will reach the jackfruit tree on the farmlands without fail. So farmers, knowing its habit, themselves remove the jackfruit when it is raw. The tusker is dangerous and is known to attack people. Arikompan and Chakkakompan are the most dangerous tuskers in the Devikulam range,“ says an official.
Santhanpara panchayat president Liju Varghese says the two rogue tuskers are giving sleepless nights to people in the region and they should be captured at any cost. “People are not growing jackfruit on their farmlands fearing attack of Chakkakompan,” says Mr. Varghese.
Elephant expert P.S. Essa says the smell of jackfruit attract the tusker to the farmlands and these areas have jackfruit trees in abundance. “The tusker has developed a habit of eating jackfruit. The only way to dissuade it is not to grow jackfruit in farmlands,” says Dr. Essa.
Meanwhile, wild elephant attacks are continuing in the Chinnakkanal region. People say a woman, Rajeshwari, and her child, Kokila, had a narrow escape after Arikompan attacked a home at BL Ram on Saturday morning. The tusker attacked the house around 1 a.m. Rajeshwari was injured after a wall collapsed on her. On noticing the animal’s presence, they escaped to another room.
Shantri Tom, Assistant Conservator of Forests, Munnar, said a Rapid Response Team chased away the tusker to the forest. “A meeting will be held at the Idukki collectorate on Tuesday to discuss issues relating to elephant attacks at Chinnakkanal. Forest Minister A.K. Saseendran will attend the meeting,” said Mr. Tom.
