Tusker Erattupetta Ayyappan dies

Kottayam: Erattupetta Ayyappan, a popular captive elephant, which was undergoing treatment for various illnesses, died on Tuesday. Ayyappan, owned by the Paravanparambil family in Erattupetta, was one of the last elephants auctioned from the Kodanad elephant training centre. A baby elephant named Aaram, who arrived at the Paravanparambil Vellookunnel House through the final auction at Kodanad, later came to be known as Erattupetta Ayyappan.When Joseph Thomas and his wife Eethamma from Vellookunnel House bought Aaram at the auction on Dec 20, 1977, Ayyappan was nearly seven years old. The tusker was about 55 when it breathed its last. He had been receiving treatment for several months due to ongoing health issues and died on Tuesday morning, an office-bearer of Kerala Elephant Owners Federation (KEOF) said. Ayyappan was a regular presence at temple festivals and processions and had a large fan following. Ayyappan was conferred several titles and awards by various organizations and elephant lovers. The forest department will conduct the postmortem and remove the tusks before handing over the body to its owner for last rites, sources said.