'Arikomban' mission: Furious Chinnakanal natives announce hartal in 13 panchayats on Thursday

Chinnakanal (Idukki): Agitated by the high court division bench verdict that halted the mission of Kerala forest department to capture the wild elephant ‘Arikomban’ that wreaks havoc in the region, the natives of Chinnakanal announced hartal in 13 grama panchayats on Thursday.

They also organised a protest march to the forest department camp in the locality set up as part of its ‘Mission Arikomban’.

Court on Wednesday allowed the plea of the animal rights activists against capturing the wild elephant. HC asked wouldn't it be better to relocate the affected residents than capture the elephant. It also ordered the department to radio-collar the elephant and watch its movements.

However, the department argued in court that capturing Arikomban was the only solution. Radio-collaring will not help to reduce the attacks, it argued. According to the department, this elephant has killed seven people and destroyed 31 buildings in the past three months in the Chinnakanal region.

The protesting locals are angry at the government. They say the forest department misled the court which resulted in the latest order.