Days after the Thiruparankundram Sri Subramania Swamy Temple elephant trampled its mahout to death, the animal was translocated to the Elephant Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre at M.R. Palayam near here on Monday.
Thirteen-year-old ‘Deivanai’ was brought in a lorry accompanied by forest officials and a mahout to the rescue centre in the morning. A forest veterinary officer examined the animal which was thereafter fed with fruits and green fodder.
Forest Department officials said the health condition of the animal was normal and the pachyderm was put in a separate shed. It slowly began to mingle with one of the captive elephants accommodated inside, said the officials. This is the seventh captive elephant to be accommodated at the Elephant Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre established adjoining the Tiruchi – Chennai national highway.
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A proper dietary schedule every day would be prescribed for ‘Deivanai’ by the veterinary officer, the officials said adding that regular examination of its health would be conducted.
The first captive elephant that was accommodated at the rescue and rehabilitation centre was Malachi from Madurai district.
Thereafter, three more elephants – Sandhya, Indhu and Jayanthi owned by the Sri Kanchi Kamakoti Mutt which were in the custody of two private institutions were translocated to the centre following a directive from the High Court.
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The fifth captive elephant christened ‘Gomathi’ was shifted from Tiruvidaimarudhur in Thanjavur district to the centre.
The sixth elephant was 60-year-old Jameela from Tirunelveli district in March this year.
In Madurai, Deputy Commissioner of the Subramaniya Swamy Temple M. Ramasamy said the elephant came to the temple from Assam in 2015. He said that following the incident, three persons, including one from Aruppukottai, who were looking after the elephant were scared to go near it. “The elephant was tethered under a neem tree. But the caregivers were scared to take it inside the ‘Yanai Mahal.’ But the staff gave her food regularly. Using hose pipes, they bathed her twice a day,” he said.
The Deputy Commissioner said the elephant was going through her estrous cycle when she became violent. This was the third violent incident with the elephant, he added.
(With inputs from Madurai Bureau)