Death ends kumki Nanjan's pain and suffering

COIMBATORE: After starving for a week and suffering excruciating pain from open wounds on its right hind leg, 56-year-old Nanjan, the main kumki deployed to combat rogue wild elephants breathed his last at Nellithurai near Mettupalayam on Wednesday afternoon. The body has been shifted from the spot to Odanthurai where the post mortem is expected to be conducted on Thursday morning. The forest department officials claimed that the exact cause of death could be ascertained only after post mortem.

The elephant, in a state of musth, was shackled by iron chains that caused deep open cuts and lesions on its right hind limbs which had been neglected until a few days ago when he first received medical treatment. However, it turned out to be too late for the gentle giant.

Senior forest department and elephant experts summoned to diagnose and check the ill-fated animal suspect tetanus infection from the open wounds as the prime cause of death. The animal had the classic symptom of being unable to open its mouth due to muscular contraction and was unable to take food till it suddenly collapsed at around 2.20 pm on Wednesday and died within the next couple of minutes. Experts say that the animal could have been saved had it received timely medical attention.

"We are waiting for the post mortem report to ascertain the exact cause of death. Experts from Tamil Nadu Veterinary college in Vepery also checked on the elephant on Wednesday morning. We will be sending tissue samples for further analysis," said M Senthil Kumar, District Forest Officer, Coimbatore.

Ironically, Nanjan was brought to Nellithurai to attend the state government sponsored rejuvenation camp for forest elephants along with the camp for temple elephants at nearby Thekkampatti. It proved to be his last outing as he was unable to be transported back to Chadivayal camp as he started showing signs of musth. Nanjan refused to open its mouth, even to drink water, indicating tight muscular contraction leading to a lock jaw situation as is often the case with tetanus infection.

"We also suspect it may have had some intestinal blockage. Nanjan was a majestic animal," said renowned elephant expert KC Panicker who inspected Nanjan on Saturday and gave strict instructions to start giving saline and mineral solutions to the animal.

Forest department veterinarian VM Manoharan claimed that the exact cause of death could be ascertained only after post-mortem. However, elephant expert Jacob Cheeran believes that carelessness on the part of officials, who kept the animal shackled on the same leg instead of alternating legs, led to the deep wound and infection which eventually killed it. "They could have controlled the elephant shackling him using his front limbs and head too. They should have interchanged limbs every two days," Cheeran said.

Nanjan was 56 years old and weighed around 4.5 tonnes and has been part of kumki operations through out Coimbatore forest range and also in Sathyamangalam amd Hosur in the recent past. Along with Kumki elephant Pari, he participated in the Chadivayal elephant camp here in Coimbatore