Assam moves Gauhati High Court to bring back elephant ‘tortured’ in Tamil Nadu temple

After being denied access to the female elephant, allegedly tortured in a temple in Tamil Nadu, the Assam forest department moved Gauhati High Court seeking a directive to bring back the pachyderm to its home state.

Assam’s Principal Chief Conservator of Forests MK Yadava announced to the media that a petition was filed in the Gauhati High Court, after the Tamil Nadu forest department did not respond to the state’s request to help bring back the elephant named Joymala.

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“After the matter was widely reported in the media, our chief secretary had written to his Tamil Nadu counterpart. In response, the principal secretary of Tamil Nadu had written to us saying that the elephant is doing well and there was nothing to worry. But they did not say anything about discussion to bring the animal back. The elephant belongs to Assam and so we have moved a petition in the Gauhati High Court. Let's see what directive the court issues,” Yadava said.

He further stated that a four-member team, comprising senior government officials including forest and veterinary officers, was still waiting in Chennai for the Tamil Nadu forest department’s assistance to visit the temple in Virudhunagar district, and verify the reports about its torture. Sources said the team was denied access to the temple, which is managed by a Tamil Nadu government trust.

Joymala, renamed as Jeymalyatha, was reportedly given on a six-month lease to a temple in Tamil Nadu in 2008 by its owner in Assam’s Tinsukia district. The domesticated elephant, however, was not returned after six months, which was a violation of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.

The matter came to light after People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India shared a video in June, alleging that the female elephant was being tortured by its mahouts inside the temple premises. “The beatings shockingly occurred in the holiest of places—the sanctum sanctorum of the Krishnan Kovil temple near Srivilliputhur Nachiyar Thirukovil—and ironically at a rejuvenation camp,” the PETA India said in a statement recently.

Joymala was recently moved to a nearby temple, Krishna Kovil temple. The incident raised concern among animal rights activists and political parties in Assam, who urged the state government to bring back the elephant.