A house at Muthamma Colony, near Chinnakkanal, in Idukki that was attacked by wild tusker Murivalankompan in the early hours of Friday.
| Photo Credit: JOMON PAMPAVALLEY
A rogue tusker, locally known as Murivalankompan, attacked four houses at Muthamma Colony, near Chinnakkanal, in Idukki in the early hours of Friday.
According to local residents, the tusker attacked the houses owned by Annalakshmi, Plavadiyan, Muniyandi, and Pandayan around 12.30 a.m. The tusker first attacked the house of Annalakshmi who was staying with her daughter Shanthi.
The pachyderm then attacked the house of Shanthi. Her husband Muniyandi, daughter-in-law Sathya and two grandchildren too were at the residence at the time of the attack and the family members escaped through the back door.
The tusker later attacked the houses of Plavadiyan and Pandiyan. The family members had a narrow escape, said sources.
Kraal for Arikompan
Meanwhile, the Forest department has taken measures to accelerate the felling of trees near the Munnar Central Nursery for building a kraal for shifting the rogue tusker Arikompan after capturing it.
According to department sources, the eucalyptus trees can be felled only after floating a tender for the work. “After felling, the timber will be shifted to the Kodanad elephant camp to build the kraal,” said a source.
Local residents have demanded the Forest department to accelerate the procedure to capture Arikompan. On February 21, Chief Wildlife Warden Ganga Singh issued an order for tranquillising the elephant.
