Thrissur: A complaint to the chief wildlife warden alleges torture of ‘star’ elephant Thechikottukavu Rama-chandran, now on a par-ade ban after killing two people during a festival in February at Kottappadi near Guruvayur here.
Animal rights activist V. K. Venkitachalam complains the mahouts who are now in charge of the elephant had subjected him to severe torture "to get full control".
“There are several injury marks on the elephant, and the most visible is the one on the forehead where a fair amount of skin is missing,” he said.
The animal had killed 13 people and three elephants since 1986, and with the February incident, a special committee banned parading citing its heavy workload, temperament, lack of proper sight, severe digestive issues and others.
Kerala Elephant Own-ers’ Federation is now planning to meet Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijay-an seeking permission for an exemption for Thris-sur Pooram after the Dis-trict Captive Elephant Monitoring Committee's refusal.
However, veterinarian Dr P. B. Giridasan, who is presently treating the elephant, said that he was fit and rejected torture charges.
“The mahouts did not give bath to the elephant for a few days, and due to the irritation on the skin, it had scratched its forehead with the leafstalk of coconut leaves, and that was the reason for the marks without skin on the forehead of Thechikottukavu Rama-chandran now,” he said.
