HC directs transfer of three elephants to rehab centre

A division bench comprising Justice M Sathyanrayanan and Justice N Seshasayee gave the direction on a plea moved by an animal lover S Muralidharan that without prior permission, members of the TFWRRC in 2016 took the three elephants -- Sandhya, Jayanathi, Indumathi -- which were gifted to the mutt and kept them in their private camp under the guise of eradicating cruelty to animals.

Now, utilising this, the said NGO was collecting donations from various countries on the pretext of maintaining animals in their private camp, the petitioner alleged, and sought the court to direct the authorities to close such unauthorised elephant camps in the state.

He also submitted that the elephants, which are protected under the Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, were offered to KKP with prior approval from authorities and the mutt used the tuskers to conduct rituals like gaja pooja and other ceremonies.