Tusker dies after 13-hour-long struggle in Kochi

mangaloretoday.com / India today

Kochi, Feb 07: It was a struggle for survival that last for 13 hours. But all attempt to save the tusker which got trapped in the marshy land at Edakochi near Kochi failed even though the people could at last lift the elephant from the marshy land after hours of continued efforts.

 

The 36-year-old elephant had it last breath 15 minutes after it was brought out of the marshy land by the fire and rescue forces and members of private elephant squad on Thursday afternoon.

The tusker named AyyappanKutty was brought from Thrissur to Kochi for a temple festival at Edakkochi. The elephant ran amok during the temple festival on Thursday at 1 am injuring two people severely. The elephant ran from the temple premises to the road nearby and reached the marshy land two kilometers away to get trapped in the marshy land that lies near the road in an industrial area doing fishing activities.

 

Though a team of private elephant squad came from Thrissur at 10.30 am and tried to rescue the Jumbo by putting a rope round its body and used the crane, the efforts failed as elephant couldn’t stand due to the slippery marshy land and the elephant could not move to any directions. Though it was brought after 13 hours and given immediate medical attention, the elephant died due to dehydration and injuries while lifting it out of the marshy land.

VK Venkitachalam, secretary of Heritage Animal Task Force (HATF) alleged that elephant died because of utter negligence of the government machinery and the inefficient methods used by ignorant members of the private elephant squad. "The elephant had earlier killed four people including three mahouts. Though it was unsafe to use that elephant for temple processions, the Sankarankulangara Dewasom continued to do so in order to earn money. Dewasom officials should be punished for sending such an elephant for temple procession with the full knowledge about its violent history. Secondly, no permission was taken before using the elephant for the night procession. Thirdly, the elephant owners didn’t try to contact those mahouts who knew well how to get back the elephant from the water. Without informing them, the elephant owners have used a private team of people with no history of rescuing elephants, who tortured the animal to death," Venkitachalam told India Today.

 

"The people who tried to save the elephant actually killed it. The team tried to take out the elephant by tying a rope around its neck. That caused its death.  Actually elephant should be brought out by putting ropes on its stomach near to the back legs. Since the elephant is being treated by a Thrissur based doctor, the doctors based in Kochi too didn’t come for help," Venkitachalam alleged.

Venkitachalam also alleged that though he tried to contact wildlife authorities of the state none of them attended the call till afternoon as they were all busy with a meeting in Thiruvanthapuram.