ALAPPUZHA: Mullakkal Balakrishnan moved out of swampy Ananthankari Thursday evening after the forest department vets led by C.S. Jayakumar certified its fitness. The mahouts led the elephant they had tethered to a coconut tree some 100 metres away from the swamp it fell into to the narrow bridge taking to the outer world. Now they can shift the animal on a vehicle to Alappuzha town, ending the anxious moments for the villagers. Mr Jayakumar said his health was stable and was able to travel. "It ran amok because it got angry by disturbances," he said.
Four vets reached here by noon and inspected him in detail. The authorities decided to walk the elephant to the safest place with their consent. Saseendra Dev, the vet with Travancore Devaswom Board, said the elephant was calm while crossing the bridge. “We are planning to take him to Mullakkal by a truck as soon as possible," he said. Alappuzha Assistant Conservator of Forest (ACF) said their priority was to reach it to Mullakkal and complaints of violations will be looked into later.
Kuthiyathodu police registered a case against three mahouts and the lorry driver for negligence in security while he was being transported in a truck from Ernakulam to Alappuzha in the wee hours of Tuesday. K. Sajeev, the circle inspector, said he booked mahouts Anilkumar, Reny, Sivadas and lorry driver Ratheesh under Section 336 and 289 of Indian Penal Code. “We haven't arrested them as they were in rescue operations for the last two days. It’s also a bailable offence," he said.
Meanwhile, activists demanded penal action against its owners, TDB, and Cochin Devaswom Board for the hardships the elephant had to suffer. V.K. Venkitachalam, the secretary of Thrissur-based NGO Heritage Animal Task Force (HATF), said the range officer of Alappuzha social forestry department had violated the Supreme Court order incriminating the owner and custodian of elephant along with the other persons involved in such offences. “But here only three mahouts and the driver of the lorry are booked," he said.
"The Thrikkakara temple authorities and the elephant contractor who arranged it must be treated as accused in this wildlife crime." The Supreme Court Order says: "It shall be the duty of the state, the District Committee, Management of the Devaswom, the Management of the Temple and the owners of the elephants to see that no elephant is meted with any kind of cruelty while was being used for festivities. If it is found, apart from being lodging of criminal prosecution, they shall face severe consequences which may include confiscation of the elephants to the State."
