Mahout kills self after failed bid to kill jumbo

THRISSUR: Shibu, 40, the mahout who tried to kill the  famed elephant  Thechikkottukavu Ramachandran  on August 7, committed suicide on Saturday. The police suspect that he may have resorted to the extreme step due to his  guilty conscience over the  failed attempt.

He had  planned to  give the tusker rice mixed  with blade pieces, but it was detected at  the last minute. This had led to an  uproar as it is one of the top tuskers in the state.

The mahout is believed to have consumed poison on Friday.  Peramangalam sub-inspector Umarul Farooq said,  “The brand of the blade  recovered from the rice mix was the same  used by Shibu. We are awaiting scientific examination of the blade pieces with the court’s permission to ascertain the real reason and fix the culprit. Shibu committed suicide by consuming poison in granule forms by mixing it with water,” said Mr  Farooq.

The mahouts’ organisation  to which Shibu belonged did nothing after the controversy broke out, it is said.  At the place where rice is mixed,  there is no CCTV  but it is present where  the elephant is fed.