Malappuram: A pregnant wild elephant in Kerala's Silent Valley forest fell victim to an act of human cruelty after a pineapple filled with powerful crackers exploded in her mouth when she chomped on it.
According to reports, the cracker-laden bait was allegedly offered to her by some local residents. The incident came to light when Mohan Krishnan, a forest official in Malappuram district narrated the details of the horrific death on Facebook.
"When the fruit she ate exploded, she must have been thinking about the child she was going to give birth to in 18 to 20 months," Mohan Krishnan, who was also part of the Rapid Response team wrote.
The elephant walked around the village in excruciating pain and in hunger. According to Mohan, she did not harm a single human being nor did she crush a single home.
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The forest officials say that she eventually walked into the Velliyar river, with her mouth and trunk in water, perhaps for some relief and waiting for the inevitable.
"When we saw her she was standing in the river, with her head dipped in the water. She had a sixth sense that she was going to die. She took the Jalasamadhi in the river in a standing position", Krishnan, who was deputed to bring the elephant back to the shore, wrote.
"Her jaw was broken and she was unable to eat after she chewed the pineapple and it exploded in her mouth. It is certain that she was offered the pineapple filled with crackers to eliminate her," Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) and Chief Wildlife Warden Surendrakumar said.
The incident was reported from the fringe areas of the Silent Valley in Attappadi. Surendrakumar said the elephant died on May 27. He said the post-mortem revealed that the pachyderm was pregnant, when she suffered one of the brutal forms of animal abuse.
"I have directed the forest officials to nab the culprit. We will punish him for ''hunting'' the elephant," he said.
The elephant was later taken inside the forest and cremated. Officials paid their last respects and they say they could sense sadness in the air.
(With inputs from PTI)
