<p>The Kerala High Court on Friday will <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/south/activists-call-for-freeing-of-captive-wild-elephants-tigers-in-kerala-1205171.html" target="_blank">hear two pleas seeking release of two wild elephants and five tigers </a>captured from Palakkad and Wayanad districts of the state and presently kept in captivity by the Forest department.</p>.<p>The petitions, listed before Justice Shaji P Chaly, have claimed that the captivity of the two tuskers -- PT 7 and PM 2 -- and the tigers was illegal as it was in violation of the provisions of the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972.</p>.<p>The petitioners, Angels Nair -- general secretary of NGO Animal Legal Force Integration -- and Mini Sudhil -- who claims to be an animal welfare enthusiast, have contended that the two tuskers are being subjected to harsh and rigorous training to tame them into becoming 'kumki' elephants.</p>.<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/south/kerala-locals-protest-against-courts-stay-on-capturing-wild-elephant-1204952.html" target="_blank">Kerala: Locals protest against court's stay on capturing wild elephant</a></strong></p>.<p>'Kumki' elephants are captive pachyderms used in operations for trapping and capturing other elephants. They have contended that elephants are highly protected species and included in scheduled-I of the Wildlife Protection Act 1972.</p>.<p>"...capturing, training, taming, hurting, teasing etc of the species included in the schedule are punishable offences and any person committing such offences are liable to be punished with an imprisonment of 3 to 7 years," Sudhil has said in his plea.</p>.<p>PT 7 elephant was captured in January from the Dhoni forest area in Palakkad and PM 2 was tranquilised and caught from Wayanad, the pleas said.</p>.<p>Besides release of the animals, the two petitions also seek quashing of a 2018 Kerala government order permitting training and use of 'kumki' elephants.</p>
<p>The Kerala High Court on Friday will <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/south/activists-call-for-freeing-of-captive-wild-elephants-tigers-in-kerala-1205171.html" target="_blank">hear two pleas seeking release of two wild elephants and five tigers </a>captured from Palakkad and Wayanad districts of the state and presently kept in captivity by the Forest department.</p>.<p>The petitions, listed before Justice Shaji P Chaly, have claimed that the captivity of the two tuskers -- PT 7 and PM 2 -- and the tigers was illegal as it was in violation of the provisions of the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972.</p>.<p>The petitioners, Angels Nair -- general secretary of NGO Animal Legal Force Integration -- and Mini Sudhil -- who claims to be an animal welfare enthusiast, have contended that the two tuskers are being subjected to harsh and rigorous training to tame them into becoming 'kumki' elephants.</p>.<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/south/kerala-locals-protest-against-courts-stay-on-capturing-wild-elephant-1204952.html" target="_blank">Kerala: Locals protest against court's stay on capturing wild elephant</a></strong></p>.<p>'Kumki' elephants are captive pachyderms used in operations for trapping and capturing other elephants. They have contended that elephants are highly protected species and included in scheduled-I of the Wildlife Protection Act 1972.</p>.<p>"...capturing, training, taming, hurting, teasing etc of the species included in the schedule are punishable offences and any person committing such offences are liable to be punished with an imprisonment of 3 to 7 years," Sudhil has said in his plea.</p>.<p>PT 7 elephant was captured in January from the Dhoni forest area in Palakkad and PM 2 was tranquilised and caught from Wayanad, the pleas said.</p>.<p>Besides release of the animals, the two petitions also seek quashing of a 2018 Kerala government order permitting training and use of 'kumki' elephants.</p>