After a 24-hour long rescue operation by police, forest and wildlife SOS, a 55- year-old elephant was finally rescued from shackles of illegal custody in Pratapgarh in Uttar Pradesh. The operation involved nearly 50 police and forest personnel. The jumbo was recovered under emaciated, starved and severely wounded condition.
The 55 year old male elephant ‘Mohan’ had been labelled the ‘unluckiest’ elephant in the world as several repeated attempts at rescuing him failed and legal proceedings to win his freedom were postponed and delayed repeatedly. However, this time it was fortunate to be rescued.
Medical examination of Mohan elephant conducted by a team of three veterinarians after his rescue revealed elephant was in a truly despicable condition as a result of constant torture and abuse. The medical report dated 23 July 2016 confirms the elephant is thin and emaciated caused by severe starvation.
It also mentions that wounds on his body and ears confirm beating and poking by sharp objects, as well as feet injuries that would lead to permanent joint disorders if not properly treated immediately. The elephant’s dung had a lot of round worms and indicated severe worm infestation.
According to Kartick Satyanarayan, Co-founder of Wildlife SOS, said, “We hope that this breakthrough in attaining Mohan’s long overdue freedom sets a precedent of zero tolerance for illegal ownership of elephants and gives hope to elephants across the country that are held in illegal captivity and suffering abuse and neglect at the hands of their captors.”