VIRUDHUNAGAR: The wait for the officials sent by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma to inspect elephant Joymala in Srivilliputhur continues, as a go-ahead from the Tamil Nadu government still eludes them. The team has been camping in Chennai since September 2. Meanwhile, State government officials, including a forest veterinarian, a member of TN Wild Life Board, and a member of the Wild Life Trust of India, examined the animal on Saturday, said Srivilliputhur Meghamalai Tiger Reserve Deputy Director H Dileep Kumar.
Joymala, which had been gifted to Srivilliputhur Andal Temple by Assam-native Girin Moran in 2011, had come to the limelight after a video of a mahout beating the elephant went viral on social media. On August 26, the video was shared by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). Five days later, Himanta Biswa Sarma tweeted that a four-member team comprising forest, veterinary, and police officials from Assam will visit Tamil Nadu to discuss the matter with the forest department officials, inspect the animal and also initiate measures to bring it back to Assam.
According to TN forest officials, Joymala was initially under the care of mahouts Vinil Kumar and Siva Prasad at the temple. In February 2021, the animal was taken for an annual 48-day rejuvenation camp at Thekkampatti near Mettupalayam. Then, a video went viral showing the mahouts beating the animal. After a police case was registered against the mahouts, Vinil Kumar and Siva Prasad were dismissed, and Subramani and Tirupathi were appointed the new mahouts.
However, within a year and a half, another video of Joymala being attacked with sticks surfaced. “The video shows Tirupathi beating the elephant. Since Tirupathi quit his job in July 2021, surely the video is over a year old,” Forest Range Officer M Karthick said.
Tirupathi had earlier claimed to the officials that the animal developed foot rot disease as it had been standing on a concrete floor for long hours. “Initially, Joymala did not cooperate with the treatment and this is when Tirupathi beat it using sticks. Later, the animal was treated and it is doing fine now,” the official added.
On July 27, Srivilliputhur Town Police registered a case under sections of the IPC and the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, based on a complaint filed by PETA. A member of the Assam delegation and Assam Agriculture University Professor Kushal Konwar Sharma said, “Our team has discussed the issue with the Chief Wildlife Warden and is awaiting a go-ahead from Chief Minister MK Stalin to visit the elephant.”
Team deployed after viral video
After a video of a mahout beating the elephant went viral on social media, Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma tweeted that a team from the State would visit TN