Idukki (Kerala) | A wild elephant damaged a ration shop while attempting to consume food grains at Anayirangal in this high-range district on Friday morning, forest officials said.

The officials identified the tusker as 'Chakkakomban', a wild elephant known to frequent the Chinnakanal-Santhanpara region.

The elephant reportedly broke into the shop around 5.30 am, pulled out sacks of rice and consumed some of the grains.

Local residents, who heard the noise, gathered at the spot and drove the elephant back into the forest, officials said.

According to forest officials, the ration shop has been repeatedly targeted by wild elephants over the years.

Earlier, it was frequently raided by the tusker 'Arikomban', which was captured in 2023 and relocated to a forest in Tamil Nadu.

Officials said the ration shop is vulnerable to repeated elephant raids as it is located close to the animals' natural habitat.

They also pointed out that unlike another ration shop at Panniyar, where solar fencing has been installed, the Anayirangal ration shop has no protective fencing.

Forest department officials visited the spot and assessed the damage.