Arikomban, the wild tusker with a predilection for raiding ration shops in the human settlements of Chinnakanal, Idukki, for its favourite treat, rice, is nothing short of a celebrity. The victim of three translocation attempts, which began as early as 2017, with a heart-wrenching backstory of being an orphan, Arikomban’s curious behaviour has changed narratives from those of a stampeding tyrant to a scapegoat for human transgressions.
At present, it has been relocated to Kalakad Mundathurai Tiger Reserve, Kanyakumari, after making a cameo in the residential town of Cumbum in Tamil Nadu.
