The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed the petition filed by the Kerala Government against the directions issued by the Kerala High Court to relocate the rogue elephant named ‘Arikompan’ from the Munnar-Chinnakanal area to Parambikulam.

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The rogue elephant, Arikompan, had been on a rampage in the Palakkad district of Kerala for several months, killing and injuring people and causing damage to property. After several failed attempts to capture the elephant, the Forest Department finally succeeded in capturing it on March 22, 2021. However, the question of what to do with the captured animal became a contentious issue.

Initially, the Forest Department had proposed to relocate the elephant to the Neyyar Wildlife Sanctuary in Thiruvananthapuram district, which is more than 400 km away from Palakkad. However, this proposal was met with opposition from wildlife activists, who argued that Neyyar was not a suitable location for the rehabilitation of a rogue elephant.

The matter then went to the Kerala High Court, which directed the Forest Department to relocate the elephant to the Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary, which is closer to Palakkad and is considered to be a more suitable habitat for elephants. The High Court also directed the Forest Department to ensure that the elephant is rehabilitated and released back into the wild as soon as possible.

The Kerala government, however, challenged the High Court’s order in the Supreme Court, arguing that it would create administrative difficulties and affect the livelihoods of forest dwellers in the area. But the Supreme Court rejected the plea, stating that the High Court’s order was based on expert opinion and that there was no need to interfere with it.

The decision to relocate Arikompan to Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary has been welcomed by wildlife activists, who believe that it is the best option for the animal’s rehabilitation. The Forest Department has already started preparations to shift the elephant to Parambikulam, and it is expected to be moved soon. Once the elephant is in the sanctuary, the Forest Department will work on rehabilitating it and eventually releasing it back into the wild.

Written by Nidhi Bhadauriya, a 2^nd semester BA.LLB student from Vivekananda Institute of Professional studies

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