Nearly 200 tribespeople, including women, children and tribal heads, staged a road blockade on the Suryanelli-Bodimettu bypass on the second consecutive day on Tuesday seeking the return of wild tusker Arikompan to Chinnakanal.
“We want Arikompan. Bring back Arikompan” were some of the slogans raised by the tribespeople at the protest venue on Tuesday.
According to local residents, Muthuvan tribal people from five tribal settlements – Chempakathozhu Kudi, Tank Kudi, Pachapul Kudi, Aduvilanthan Kudi and Kozhippana Kudi – joined the protest. The demonstration began around 8 a.m. on Tuesday and concluded around 12 p.m.
Satyan Chandran, a resident of Chempakathozhu Kudi, said the present condition of Arikompan distressed them. “The tribal heads of the settlements demanded that the tusker be returned to Chinnakanal, its original habitat, immediately. We will continue the protest till the security of the tusker is ensured,” he said.
“The Muthuvan tribespeople of Chinnakanal panchayat never sought the capture of the tusker. The tribespeople did not attend the recent protests demanding that Arikompan be captured,” said Mr. Chandran.
Learning about the capture of Arikompan by Tamil Nadu authorities had distressed the tribespeople, and they staged a road blockade on Monday night, seeking the return of the tusker.
According to officials, representatives of tribespeople have informed a committee of experts that was appointed by the Kerala High Court to look into the human-elephant conflict and the Arikompan issue that the tribespeople were ready to “coexist” with wild elephants at Chinnakanal.
A report of the committee had stated that traditional settlements of the Muthuvan tribal community have coexisted with wild animals at Chinnakanal. “There had been traditional settlements of the Muthuvan community that coexisted and continue to coexist with wild animals in the area,” the report said.
