THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The excitement surrounding the transfer of Arikomban, one of Kerala's wildest rogue elephants, on Saturday appears to be fleeting, since another member of the species has emerged from the woods and shocked the people in the Chinnakanal area of the Idukki district.

Because of his fondness for rice, Arikomban was given this name (ari means rice and komban means tusker in Malayalam). His primary targets were homes and shops that sold and stored rice.

It was the turn of another wild tusker, Chakakomban (chaka means jackfruit), in the early hours of Monday. An enraged troop of elephants led by Chakakomban destroyed a shed belonging to one Rajan in Chinnakanal.

Rajan was saved since he had been ill for the previous two months and was at another location, but Chakakomban completely demolished his home. The residents, who have been living in fear as a result of Arikomban's antics for the past five years, have been shocked by this abrupt attack.

"We thought the worst was over, but after what happened early this morning, things look bleak," a local said.

In any case, on Friday, when the first attempt to apprehend Arikomban failed, it was said that Chakakomban was observing everything the officials and four kumki elephants were doing from a distance.

Chakakomban went missing on Saturday, when Arikomban was finally tranquillized and moved about 21 kilometres to a dense forest region, but he reappeared late Sunday night.

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