Taken to function, ailing jumbo dies

TRICHY: A 59-year-old female captive elephant from Srirangam died from
ill health while she was being transported to Trichy in a lorry, near

Namakkal, early on Sunday. She collapsed in the vehicle letting out a loud
cry, forcing the driver to pull over and check. Following an inspection, the
driver found the animal lying dead.

Called Gulabi, the elephant was owned by N Baskar, Srirangam. She was
taken to Gaja puja in Pollachi, Coimbatore district, as part of a wedding
ceremony. The death happened when she was transported back to
another function in Trichy for which the owner had received an advance.

It is alleged that the owner showed disregard for the condition of the
ailing elephant and deliberately ignored all related symptoms which
proved fatal. A senior forest department official said that Baskar had ignored their warning against taking the animal for long journey and paid the price for it.

Terming the incident cruel, animal activists called for stringent action against the owner for engaging it in work endangering the life. “For an elephant of this age, rest is mandatory. But it was made to travel in truck till Pollachi for about 6 hours, the official said.

“Unable to bear the heat, Gulabi fainted in the truck. Despite being administered intravenous fluids it did not stand on its feet.

After facing all this, the elephant was made to stand till the wedding concluded in the evening in Pollachi,” the forest department officials said.

Though Baskar had obtained necessary approval from forest department in Chennai, reports suggested he had not informed Trichy or Coimbatore forest officials before transporting the elephant.

When contacted, Baskar said Gulabi had been ill until a few weeks back, but doing well over the past few days. He took the animal only after obtaining medical certificate and clearance from forest department.

Alleging that elephants are being subjected to cruelty by their owners for money, animal activist P Paulraj said such incidents go mostly unnoticed due to irresponsible forest department.

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