India kills six

1. A wild tusker elephant that loved rice and murdered at least six people has been tranquillized and transported by Indian forest officials, according to media sources.

The male elephant, known as Arikomban or "rice-tusker," gained notoriety in the southern state of Kerala for breaking into stores to steal grains and rice.

The elephant was captured on Saturday by a group of 150 forest officers, but it fought the capture after receiving five tranquillizer injections, according to the Indian Express newspaper.

It was ultimately pushed and prodded onto a vehicle by four trained kumki elephants after having its legs tied and eyes clothed.
It was then transported to a wildlife reserve with a GPS collar attached.

The elephant, estimated to be approximately 30 years old, has been the target of previous attempts by officials to capture it.

Arikomban was shot with tranquillizers in 2017, but he was able to flee.

Last month, officials set up a fake ration shop to entice the elephant in light of his love of rice and other grains, but the plan was thwarted by a court, according to the newspaper.

Conservationists attribute the rise of human-animal conflicts in some regions of India to the fast spread of human settlements near important wildlife corridors and forest areas.

More than 60% of wild Asian elephants are thought to reside in India, according to the authorities.India's elephant population was 29,964 at the time.
Indian authorities killed a tiger known as the "Man-Eater of Champaran" last year after it attacked and murdered at least nine people in the east of the nation.