One more captive elephant dies in Thrissur

Thrissur: The darling of elephant buffs across the state,  Adayattu Ayyappan, 28, died due to impaction, a digestive problem, early on Monday. The elephant was undergoing treatment at a plot near the house of its owner Padma Shree Sundar Menon here for more than a month. A large number of elephant lovers paid their last respects to the animal which was distinct from other captive elephants in the state for its unique black tone of the skin. The carcass of the pachyderm was taken to Perumthodu near Malayattoor for post-mortem and cremation in the evening.

The family members of Mr Menon told DC that according to the doctors who conducted the post-mortem, impaction was the reason for the death. Meanwhile, secretary of the pro-animal group, Heritage Animal Task Force, Mr V.K. Venkitachalam, has alleged that the inefficiency  of the doctors who treated the animal was  exposed after the death of Ayyappan at such a young age. “The doctors had been treating the animal for nearly two months  and they could not even do proper diagnosis. This is the 25th captive elephant in the state to die this year,” he told DC. Ayyappan had suffered some internal injuries as it  was tortured during its last musth, he added.