Wild Elephant 'Kabali' Disrupts Kerala Highway for 18 Hours: Officials Consider Relocation

The 33-year-old tusker, nicknamed after Rajinikanth's 2016 film 'Kabali', has become a significant concern in the region.

Thrissur:

Officials from the local government in Kerala's Palakkad district have requested the forest department to relocate a wild elephant, locally known as Kabali, back into the forest after numerous incidents of the lone tusker blocking roads and attacking vehicles along an inter-state highway.

Reports indicate that traffic on the Athirappilly-Malakkappara interstate highway was completely stopped for nearly 18 hours when the elephant wandered onto the road on Sunday. The tusker appeared around 3:30 pm and proceeded to knock down a palm tree.

Footage of the elephant showed it standing in the middle of the road, unhurriedly feeding on the tree before trampling its trunk. Tourists, including many from other states, were reportedly forced to wait as forest officials narrowly avoided being attacked while attempting to guide the elephant back to the forest.

Kabali eventually returned to the forest late at night after walking approximately 16 kilometers. The extensive traffic jam left numerous tourists stranded without access to food or water for hours, as reported by The Hindu.

However, the elephant soon reappeared, causing more than 100 vehicles to remain stranded until around 7 am on Monday.

'Kabali' has earned a reputation for its troublesome behavior. In previous incidents, it blocked an ambulance and injured a motorcyclist last year. In 2022, it attacked a jeep.

The 33-year-old tusker, named after the 2016 Rajinikanth film 'Kabali', is reportedly experiencing its 'musth' period – an annual cycle lasting from several weeks to months during which male elephants exhibit erratic behavior.

Local officials stated that the elephant has become a persistent danger for travelers, frequently stopping traffic on the busy Anamalai road for extended periods. "Either measures should be implemented to keep the animal from wandering onto the road, or it should be moved to another forest area," said Athirappilly Panchayat president KK Ritesh while speaking to reporters.

This request comes amid increasing concerns about public safety. Meanwhile, forest officials have cautioned that strict measures will be taken against individuals who deliberately provoke elephants in the area. "We have increased surveillance and begun investigations into recent incidents where travelers were found agitating wild elephants," stated Vazhachal Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Suresh Babu.

Authorities maintain that protecting human lives remains their highest priority, but any decision regarding the elephant's relocation will need to balance both safety concerns and environmental considerations.