‘She didn’t harm a single human being even when she ran in searing pain in the streets of the village’

In an unprovoked act of cruelty, a one-month pregnant elephant died because she was fed an explosive laden pineapple that blew up her mouth grievously injuring her tongue and jaws.

The incident took place in Kerala’s Silent Valley Forest and was reported on May 27 after a forest official discovered her standing in the Velliyar river with her mouth and trunk in the water, supposedly to soothe the pain. According to the officer, the elephant had dipped her wounds in water to avoid flies and other insects aggravating them.

According to reports of the Rapid Response rescue team, the 15-year-old tusker had strayed into the nearby village in search of food, where she was allegedly fed a pineapple stuffed with powerful crackers.“We are suspecting that the elephant fell prey to the explosive snare used to fend off wild boars. But there is no evidence now to suggest that it was intentionally fed such an explosive,” KK Sunil Kumar, Mannarkkad Divisional Forest Officer (DFO), told The News Minute.

‘Searing in pain’

Sharing an emotional narrative of the incident, forest officer Mohan Krishnan, wrote on Facebook: “She trusted everyone. When the pineapple she ate exploded, she must have been shocked not thinking about herself, but about the child she was going to give birth to in 18 to 20 months.”

The officer noted that despite the pain and shock, the ‘full of goodness’ elephant didn’t harm any human as she frantically ran for help.

“She didn’t harm a single human being even when she ran in searing pain in the streets of the village. She didn’t crush a single home. This is why I said, she is full of goodness,” he wrote.

Although the rescue team tried their level best to lure the gentle giant out of the river in a bid to treat her wounds and even employed two captive elephants to help in the rescue, she succumbed to her injuries standing there.

“I think she had a sixth sense. She didn’t let us do anything,” added Krishnan in his post.

Compassion to animals

The tragic incident has caused a huge uproar with people slamming the locals for their inhumane behaviour and demanding officials nab the culprits and punish them for their cruel act.

The Kerala Forest department also tweeted the Indian Constitution law under Article 51-A (g), which orders every citizen to be compassionate to animals.

Article 51-A (g) of the Indian Constitution says that it shall be duty of every citizen of India to have compassion for living creatures. The pregnant elephant in pic was killed in human- wildlife conflict.Action has already been initiated. But where lies our duty? N humanity?? pic.twitter.com/V1ufNt3HfN

— Kerala Forest Department (@ForestKerala) June 3, 2020

• Read: Cher helps rescue lonely elephant chained for 26 years in Pakistan zoo

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Mohsina Dodhiya

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