Pregnant jumbo forced into Dasara procession unchained

Chaitra, the elephant in the Bandipur camp who had been shackled ever since she gave birth to her 10th calf, has finally been freed.

Following the publication of a report ‘Forest dept forced heavily pregnant jumbo into Dasara’ in Deccan Herald on November 13, Conservator of Forests and Director of Bandipur Tiger Reserve B B Mallesh is learnt to have given directions to unchain the elephant and let her mingle with the other jumbos in the camp.

Chaitra had been kept chained to a tree 24x7, right next to the official residence of Mallesh at Bandipur ever since she gave birth to the calf some time in the end of October. The elephant was in her advanced stages of pregnancy when she was made to participate in the Dasara procession on October 23.

According to staff at the camp, Mallesh summoned the mahouts and kavadi of Chaitra on November 14, and asked them unchain Chaitra and let her mingle with the other elephants. Despite several attempts, Mallesh was not available for comment on his official number.
DH News Service