R.K. Srivastava, IGF and Director of the Project Elephant, under the MOEF, has directed the Chief Wildlife Warden of Tamil Nadu to submit an action-taken report on the circumstances that led to the death of a wild elephant in Madukkarai .
A complaint has been filed by the Heritage Animal Task Force, a Thrissur-based organisation.
The elephant that had strayed to a human habitat in Madukkarai, was captured by the Tamil Nadu Forest Department last Sunday. It was shifted to Anamalai Tiger Reserve, where it died three days ago.
The task force alleged that indiscriminate tranquillising and transportation by a lorry led to its death. V.K. Venkitachalam, task force secretary, alleged that the elephant sustained injuries due to tranquilising gunshots. The elephant was also injured in the attack by kumki elephants employed by the Forest Department to force it into a lorry. Keeping the wild elephants in small cages compounded its problem, he added.
Mr. Venkitachalam also alleged that the elephant was administered multiple tranquillising shots.
