The Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) has issued an advisory to the Forest Department to seize two abused temple elephants from the custody of the Travancore Devaswom Board and transport them to safety as directed by the High Court of Kerala.
The two elephants, Sivasankaran belonging to the Mahadeva temple, Parassala, and Kannan of the Sreekrishna temple, Neyyattinkara, had been in the news following their prolonged ill treatment at the hands of mahouts and temple managers. On April 10, the High Court, while reviewing an inspection report of the elephants’ condition, had directed the AWBI to advise the Forest Department on providing treatment and care to the two animals and moving them to a suitable environment. The direction was based on a writ petition filed by Leela Lathif, secretary, People for Animals (PFA), Thiruvananthapuram.
During the hearing, the counsel for the PFA had argued that both Central and State laws were violated. The inspection report prepared by experts authorised by the AWBI revealed that Sivasankaran was suffering from a painful infected wound on the hind leg with a rusted chain embedded into the flesh, while Kannan was severely emaciated and suffering from physical deformities. Earlier, the Forest Department had registered a case against the Devaswom Officer, Parassala, for ill treatment of Sivasankaran. The AWBI has written to Forest Minister Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan, Principal Secretary P. Mara Pandiyan, and Chief Wildlife Warden G. Harikumar calling for immediate action to transport the elephants to a sanctuary for permanent rehabilitation.
Animal welfare forum asks Forest wing to transport two temple elephants to safety.
