Majestic Tusker “Chillikomban” Drowns in Canal
Thiruvananthapuram: ‘Chillikomban’, the well-known wild elephant roaming the Nelliampathi hills in Kerala, died after being swept away by strong currents in the perimeter canal of the Parambikulam Aliyar Project (PAP) in Coimbatore district on Saturday.
The tusker got stuck in the PAP perimeter canal in the Pachathannir forest bed under the Sethumadai eastern part of the Pollachi forest range in the Anamalai Tiger Reserve (ATR) around 4 pm, reportedly while trying to drink water.
The Forest Department personnel who came to the scene saw that he was having difficulty breathing in the 20-meter deep channel due to strong currents. Rescue efforts with the excavator failed due to its weight and the force of the water.
The elephant was swept away by the strong current and its carcass was found at Thirumoorthy Dam on Sunday. Known for its gentle nature, the tusker lived peacefully among the people of the Nelliampathi region and often wandered into Tamil Nadu during musth before returning to its home territory.
The Tamil people called the elephant Sullikomban, meaning “fine-tusked elephant”. This gentle giant loved jackfruit and mangoes, and there were no reported incidents of Sullikomban attacking local people.
Known as a favorite among elephant lovers in Kerala, it got the name Chillikomban because its tusks resemble reeds. The fact that he occasionally wandered around crowded areas and never caused any problems made him even more popular. In the Nelliampathi hills, locals affectionately called it Chillikomban for its distinctive, capsicum-shaped teeth and valued it for its gentle nature and peaceful co-existence with nearby communities.
Kerala’s wildlife lore is filled with stories of iconic wild elephants such as Chillikomban, Arikomban of Idukki and Kabini Komban near Wayanad; each is remembered for their unique characteristics, temperaments, and the way they shaped human-elephant relationships in the region.
Known as the “Rice Fang”, Arikomban earned her name by raiding ration shops and homes for rice in the Chinnakanal district of Idukki. It had created fear in the region many times, forcing forest officials to relocate many times.
Kabini Komban, a huge tusk, was frequently seen near Kabini and Wayanad forests.
human elephant conflicts
Human-elephant conflicts are on the rise in Kerala due to the state’s unique mix of dense forests and human settlements.
Nine districts face frequent wild elephant attacks; Wayanad, Idukki, Palakkad, Kannur and Malappuram were the worst affected districts, accounting for over 70% of the cases. Between 2020 and September 2025, these events led to 111 deaths and 1,500 injuries.
Kerala is home to an estimated 2,785 elephants, the fourth highest among the states, with a density of around 0.3 to 0.5 elephants per square kilometer in key habitats such as the Periyar Tiger Reserve and the Annamalai-Parambikulam landscapes.
