Chennai: Months after the country was shaken by an incident of an explosion in an elephant’s mouth in Kerala, a numbing incident of a burning cloth bundle being hurled at a jumbo in Mudumalai Tiger Reserve in the Nilgiris has come to light.
The elephant, aged around 50 years, succumbed to the burn injuries, sustained near its ears and close to the trunk, a few days ago, shortly after it was tranquilised and captured by the Forest Department.
A video of the elephant -- with the ignited cloth stuck near its ear and running amok with loud cries towards the forest -- surfaced on mobile messaging platforms on Friday following which two persons were arrested. A hunt is on for the third accused.
The accused owned a property, allegedly used for home stay, and had resorted to the inhuman crime as the elephant kept coming near their habitation. The video was shot from close quarters by one of the accused even as another man is heard saying, “Go and die in the forest,” as the pachyderm is crying out in pain.
The cloth bundle was dipped in fuel before it was set on fire and hurled at the elephant. According to Forest Department officials, Prasad of Masinagudi and Raymond Dean of Mavanallah were arrested while Dean’s brother Ricky Rayan was absconding.
The brothers owned the property and Prasad allegedly, at their behest, had hurled the flaming missive on the elephant. The incident is believed to have occurred last month. Since then the elephant was frequently spotted in human habitations leading to its attempted capture.
Just two days ago when the elephant died after its attempted rescue, a video of a Forest staff weeping and holding its trunk had gone viral. The forest staff was heard apologising to the dead elephant for failing to save it.
