The number of captive elephants turning restless and running amok due to poor upkeep and torture by mahouts are on the rise in Kerala, where over 850 such incidents had been reported since January this year.
According to animal rights group Heritage Animal Task Force, highest number of cases have been reported from Thrissur district, the cultural capital of Kerala where the 'Thrissur Pooram' festival is known for parading of caparisoned elephants.
A total of 324 cases, some of them serious, were reported in the district alone during the period.
Of these, as many as 16 elephants created panic by running amok repeatedly at short intervals.
While a total of 316 incidents were reported in Palakkad district, 61 cases were reported in Kollam, 46 in Kottayam, 34 in Alappuzha, 29 in Ernakulam and 16 in Pathanamthitta district this year.
Even though rules banned parading of handicapped jumbos and those showing uneasiness or 'musth', these restrictions are often found to have been flouted, figures compiled by the outfit said.
"If an owner wants to shift an elephant to any forest range other than where the animal has been registered, the owner should seek Divisional Forest Officer's (DFO) permission. In the same way, permission of the respective district administration is necessary for parading a jumbo in another district," secretary of Heritage Animal Task Force V K Venkitachalam told PTI.
"But in most cases these rules are not followed properly. Unfortunately forest department is also not showing any keenness to take action against the offenders," he said.
Even though festival season in Kerala ended last week it has not brought relief to captive elephants, he said.
"When the festival season in Kerala ends, majority of captive elephants will be shifted to other states on rental for parading in festivals or wedding ceremonies. Continuous work, without proper feeding or rest, is the major reason that turns jumbos violent," he said.
He also said the use of 'capture belt', a banned iron tool having sharp-edged nails, to control jumbos is still common.
Citing these issues, the Task Force recently sent a letter to the state's Principal Chief Conservator of Forests seeking stern action against the custodians of elephants who fail to adhere to the rules prescribed by the department.
According to government statistics, there are over 700 captive elephants in the state.
