Foresters face fresh challenge from rogue jumbo in Pollachi

With efforts to keep a rampaging wild elephant-which is reported to have even killed two people in the recent past-from frequenting the tribal hamlets in Pollachi having failed, the Forest department is now mulling over capturing the tusker. It is, however, yet to be decided whether to translocate the jumbo or to hold it captive in camps, much like how it was meted out to rogue elephant Chinnathambi, that once roamed in a similar fashion in Coimbatore.

The Forest department has firmed up on the plan to capture the elephant after efforts to drive the wild elephant inside the forests did not yield desired results. Even when in the past it was driven back into the deep jungles, the animal hastily retreated, only to return and damage houses and raid stocked food at Navamalai, a hamlet near Aliyar in Pollachi, sources said.

The wild elephant in question is believed to have trampled to death a seven-year-old girl and a 55-year-old man from the tribal settlement in May this year. It was then chased into forest cover.

After nearly a month’s gap, the elephant, however, returned to Navamalai on Tuesday and damaged houses to consume rice and other stored food items.

Fearing further attacks, tribal families were shifted to a temporary shelter at a Tangedco building by the Forest department. The elephant, however, visited the tribal hamlet again on Wednesday and damaged the house of a local, Ayyannan.

The tribals, while claiming that they have been co-existing with elephants for generations, mentioned this tusker to be unusually aggressive. Forest department officials claim that the elephant, which was habituated to consume ration rice at PDS shops in Valparai, had somehow migrated to Navamalai.A 12-member team of the Forest department staff were deployed to monitor the movement of the wild tusker. “Also, it has been decided to capture the elephant. A recommendation has been sent to the government to capture the animal. Until then, the tribal families are provided shelter in a safe place to prevent any conflict,” said an official.