CHENNAI: An eight-member special team constituted by the State forest department is all set to begin an investigation into the alleged ill-treatment of captive elephants under the care and maintenance of temples.
Sources told TNIE that the special team headed by Dr NVK Ashraf, noted veterinarian with the Wildlife Trust of India, will start inspections from Monday. The team was formed after the department received multiple complaints of animal abuse, illegal custody and improper care.
Currently, four elephants are under the radar of the team — Prerona, alias Deivanai, maintained at the Subramaniya Swamy temple in Thiruparankundram in Madurai; Abayambikai in Mayuranathar temple in Thanjavur; Subbulakshmi in Shanmuganathan temple in Sivagangai and Varalakshmi in Thayumanaswamy temple in Tiruchy.
The team has already gathered preliminary details and prima facie. There is enough evidence that the elephants have endured years of improper care. As per the order passed by chief wildlife warden Shekhar Kumar Niraj, the team is mandated to inspect the maintenance and welfare of the captive elephants as per the Tamil Nadu Captive Elephant (Management & maintenance) Rules, 2011.
Originally, the team was to evaluate the elephants’ upkeep and health condition and submit the report by January 15. But the inspections got delayed due to a surge in Covid-19 cases. “We hope to finish the inspection and submit the report to the department by the end of this month,” a member of the special team told TNIE.
The special team has forest veterinarians, an anti-wildlife crime expert from Traffic India and representatives of NGOs as its members. After receiving the report, a decision will be made whether the elephants need to be seized and shifted to MR Palayam Elephant Rescue and Rehabilitation Center in Tiruchy, a senior forest official said.
Among the four elephants, the 13-year-old Deivanai was allegedly brought from Assam and its lease period expired in 2017. The elephant has a troubled past as it had killed her mahout. She was later shifted to MR Palayam, where she again attacked a caretaker.
Despite the aggressive behaviour, the forest department in February 2021 had given permission to shift the elephant back to Thiruparankundram temple. Recently, the elephant attacked a temple staff.
The ownership papers of Deivanai are in the name of Sri Lila Bora, Golaghat district of Assam. Official documents showed that the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) of Assam had given permission to send the six-year-old elephant to a temple in Madurai in 2014 for three years. This raises a question of negligence on the part of PCCFs of Assam and TN.