KOZHIKODE: The elephant Ambadi Kannan that wreaked havoc at Valayanad near Mankavu in the city suburb during a temple festival on Thursday has a history of rude behavior and the temple administrative committee failed to look into the history of the animal before bringing it, say animal experts and local people.
Moreover, the animal was not at all registered properly at the office of the district collector as directed by the Supreme Court of India.
Heritage Animal Task Force convener V. K. Venkitachalam said he had sufficient information that the elephant was paraded there without providing enough fodder and water.
“The mahout was new and not at all acquainted and experienced to manage such an elephant with a history of violent behavior,” he told DC.
“The elephant had run amok in places like Kottayam, Thrissur and Palakkad when it was with previous owners.”
Owned by Jijinjith K., a native of Vengery, the animal was illegally purchased and not registered so that the owner can escape from paying compensation for damages.
Meanwhile, residents of Puthiyapalam were fuming against the undue delay of more than five hours for forest veterinary experts to reach the spot while the elephant unleashed terror.
It ran amok around 5.30 pm and the forest experts from Thrissur arrived by 10 pm. The animal had crushed an autorickshaw and later damaged many buildings.
Town circle inspector T. K. Ashraf said the timely intervention of the local people and mahouts saved the situation from aggravating. “It is sad that the experts came too late,” he told DC.
