Assam begins process to send five more captive elephants to Tamil Nadu temples, sparking outrage after Jayamala abuse row

A CORRESPONDENT

BOKAKHAT: Despite the Assam Government approaching the Gauhati High Court seeking the return of Jayamala, a captive elephant from Assam who was allegedly subjected to abuse at a temple in Tamil Nadu, the official process has now begun to transfer five more captive elephants from Assam to various temples in Tamil Nadu. The development has triggered strong reactions.

It may be recalled that when allegations of abuse of Jayamala, a captive elephant from Assam, at a temple in Tamil Nadu attracted nationwide attention, the Assam Government itself had taken legal steps seeking her return to Assam. However, questions are now being raised by environmentalists over why, under the same government, the process of sending five more captive elephants from Assam to various temples in Tamil Nadu has been initiated.

According to official documents, applications concerning the transfer of the five elephants have been forwarded to the district-level Elephant Welfare Committees through a letter signed by Rakesh Kumar Dogra, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Chief Wildlife Warden of Assam.

The elephants proposed for transfer are five-year-old female elephant Durga, eight-year-old male elephant Hiralal, six-year-old male elephant Shiva, 13-year-old male elephant Roopsingh, and five-year-old female elephant Bijuli.

According to the documents, Durga has been proposed for transfer to the Meenakshi Amman Temple in Madurai; Hiralal to the Arunachaleswarar Temple in Tiruvannamalai; Shiva to the Arulmigu Arunachaleswarar Temple, also in Tiruvannamalai; Roopsingh to the Sri Vaidyanathaswamy Temple at Vaitheeswaran Koil in Nagapattinam; and Bijuli to the Sri Kanchi Kamakoti Gajashala in Kanchipuram.

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