A former member of the Animal Welfare Board of India has moved the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court seeking a direction to restore the Samayapuram temple elephant, Masini, to her original habitat at the Theppakadu camp in Mudumalai forest.
The petitioner, R. Antony Clement Rubin of Chennai, in his petition sought a direction for the temple elephant to be sent back to the camp. Masini, the Samayapuram temple elephant, was earlier in news after she had trampled her mahout to death in the temple premises in Tiruchi on May 25.
He claimed that the elephant, currently being treated at the Veterinary College and Research Institute at Thanjavur, underwent a behavioural change ever since she was moved out of the camp, when she was donated to the temple by the then Chief Minister Jayalalithaa in 2016.
In 2007, the Tamil Nadu Forest Department found Masini, who was abandoned by her mother and herd in the Kargudi range of Mudumalai forest. The then three-year-old elephant was moved to the Theppakadu Elephant camp in Mudumalai Tiger reserve. It was here that Masini developed a bond with other elephants in the camp and this bond strengthened over nine years.
Behavioural change
However, after she was moved out of the camp to the Samayapuram Mariamman temple in Tiruchi, there was a notable change in her behaviour, as she was isolated from her herd at Theppakadu.
Being chained at the temple, the elephant was denied the freedom she had enjoyed at the camp.
The Animal Welfare Board of India, which inspected Masini in 2016, took note of her serious mental health condition and wrote to the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests to shift her back to the camp, so that she could live a natural life. AWBI, in its letter, stated that the elephant may be a victim of post-traumatic stress disorder.
The letter was not acknowledged by the Department, the petitioner claimed. Soon, Masini turned violent, and during one episode, trampled her mahout to death.
Following the incident, Masini’s health started deteriorating and she is being treated at the veterinary hospital in Thanjavur for swelling in her abdomen.
The petitioner has further stated that in an earlier incident pertaining to the same temple, an elephant by the name of Mariappan was chained and mistreated. After the miserable condition was brought to light, the elephant was released to the Anamalai reserve forest.
Empathetic beings
Elephants have a complex social organisation and are dependent on each other. They display a deep understanding of empathy or the ability to relate to others. The lack of a natural and conducive environment has clearly affected the elephant, he said. He sought a direction for the elephant to be restored to her natural habitat so that her health would improve progressively.
Taking up the plea for hearing, a Division Bench of Justices M.M. Sundresh and N. Sathish Kumar directed the departments concerned to file their affidavits in the case in order to ensure that appropriate action is taken. The case has been adjourned for further hearing.
