Mumbai (PTI): The elephant which killed its caretaker in front of the unit members of well known filmmaker Mani Ratnam's company Madras Talkies was not being used for shooting of "Raavana", unit members of the film said on Friday.

The Animal Welfare Board has issued showcause notice to the film company for not taking permission to use elephants for the movie currently being shot in the Forest near Kochi in Kerala.

Senior unit members said that the unfortunate incident happened on Wednesday when the crew had gone to see the tusker as part of the pre-production recce.

The jumbo was needed for the next schedule of the film which is to take place after 15 days.

"After we have agreed to use the animal, it is only then that a formal request will be given to the Animal Welfare Board. The jumbo was not used for shooting at all, so the question of using the animal without permission does not arise," the unit members on condition of anonymity said.

They said the incident did not happen on the sets, but a little away from the venue of actual shooting.

The unit members including the main cast comprising Aishwarya and Abhishek Bachchan were stranded in the forest for 10 hours. No other person was injured or hurt during the incident.

The Board Secretary D Rajasekar had said on Thursday in Chennai that the film company has been asked to submit its reply in seven days.

He had said that no permission had been obtained by Mani Ratnam, producer and director of the bilingual film 'Raavana', for using elephants.

The Board has also asked the Chief Wildlife Warden to submit a report about the incident.

The elephant, which stood in the middle of the road blocking the way of the star pair, who were staying at Athirampally Rain forest resort, was taken away from the spot in the early hours of Thursday.