<p>A PIL has been filed seeking directions for urgent medical treatment, rescue and rehabilitation of a privately owned captive elephant named Lakshmi in Tumakuru.</p>.<p>The owner of the elephant is a religious mutt/temple - Ugradhi Gavimath Mahasamsthan, Urvakonda in Anantapur district of Andhra Pradesh. The petition is filed by People for Animals of Mysuru and another organisation.</p>.<p>While the Andhra Pradesh-based Mutt holds the ownership, the elephant has been in the custody of a branch Mutt, Kadasiddeshwara Mutt at Nonavinakere in Tumakuru.</p>.<p>The petitioners alleged that the Mutt has used the elephant for blessing visitors, begging on the streets besides renting/leasing it out for short visits during processions and other events.</p>.<p>According to the petitioners, Lakshmi was born in a Karnataka forest camp in 1992.</p>.<p>When she was 18 months old, the Mutt was given the jumbo’s custody by an ownership certificate dated March 28, 1994, by the deputy conservator of forests (DCF), Tumakuru.</p>.<p>The petitioners said that in 2008, the elephant was seized and shifted to the Bannerghatta Biological Park in Bengaluru for treatment after complaints about its ill-treatment. The elephant was returned to the Mutt after the seer of the Mutt gave an assurance that Lakshmi will be looked after well.</p>.<p>The petitioner claimed that an emergency cause of action has arisen after video and photos of the elephant being beaten and paraded for begging on the streets of Tumakuru went viral recently.</p>.<p>The petitioners said that pursuant to the complaint about this incident, the elephant was taken on foot across 200 km from Tumakuru into the Andhra Pradesh border, only with an intention to escape proceedings of the Forest department.</p>.<p>A division bench headed by Acting Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma ordered notice and posted the case to November 24.</p>.<p><strong>Watch latest videos by DH here:</strong></p>
<p>A PIL has been filed seeking directions for urgent medical treatment, rescue and rehabilitation of a privately owned captive elephant named Lakshmi in Tumakuru.</p>.<p>The owner of the elephant is a religious mutt/temple - Ugradhi Gavimath Mahasamsthan, Urvakonda in Anantapur district of Andhra Pradesh. The petition is filed by People for Animals of Mysuru and another organisation.</p>.<p>While the Andhra Pradesh-based Mutt holds the ownership, the elephant has been in the custody of a branch Mutt, Kadasiddeshwara Mutt at Nonavinakere in Tumakuru.</p>.<p>The petitioners alleged that the Mutt has used the elephant for blessing visitors, begging on the streets besides renting/leasing it out for short visits during processions and other events.</p>.<p>According to the petitioners, Lakshmi was born in a Karnataka forest camp in 1992.</p>.<p>When she was 18 months old, the Mutt was given the jumbo’s custody by an ownership certificate dated March 28, 1994, by the deputy conservator of forests (DCF), Tumakuru.</p>.<p>The petitioners said that in 2008, the elephant was seized and shifted to the Bannerghatta Biological Park in Bengaluru for treatment after complaints about its ill-treatment. The elephant was returned to the Mutt after the seer of the Mutt gave an assurance that Lakshmi will be looked after well.</p>.<p>The petitioner claimed that an emergency cause of action has arisen after video and photos of the elephant being beaten and paraded for begging on the streets of Tumakuru went viral recently.</p>.<p>The petitioners said that pursuant to the complaint about this incident, the elephant was taken on foot across 200 km from Tumakuru into the Andhra Pradesh border, only with an intention to escape proceedings of the Forest department.</p>.<p>A division bench headed by Acting Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma ordered notice and posted the case to November 24.</p>.<p><strong>Watch latest videos by DH here:</strong></p>
