(IN) Circus elephants forced to stand for two days

September 20, 2009

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Circus elephants forced to stand for two days

Rajesh Kumar Pandey, TNN 19 September 2009, 11:21pm IST

DUMKA: The condition of four elephants of Ajanta Circus is fast deteriorating

because they have been forced to remain in standing position since

Friday. Forest officials had seized three trucks carrying six elephants, nine

dogs and two horses on Friday because the truck drivers had failed to show

relevant documents required to carry the animals to Burdwan (West Bengal) from

Bhagalpur . The drivers were arrested, but the mahouts managed to escape.

The elephants have not been unloaded in the absence of mahouts and have been in

standing position in the trucks since the last show of Ajanta Circus was held at

Bhagalpur. Ajanta Circus manager J Raj, who arrived here on Saturday, said an

elephant can remain in standing position for maximum eight hours. Madhav

Chatterjee, a circus staff, said the management could not procure the transit

permission documents at Bhagalpur because the DFO was out of station.

Chatterjee said the horses were downloaded, but the dogs were hungry in the cage

for about 24 hours. " Now, transit documents will have to be procured from the

chief conservator of forest in Ranchi which is a lengthy process. As the mahouts

have fled away, these elephants are compelled to remain standing on trucks until

alternative arrangements are made, " Raj said.

Strangely, the forest officials concerned shrugged off their responsibility by

handing over the elephants to the circus management, but not allowing them to

move. They made no effort to unload the elephants and ensure the ailing

pachyderms' health check-up, in violation of the Wildlife Act.

Dumka DFO A B Singh told TOI over phone that he was out of station. The DFO will

return here on September 22 and the process of release of the vehicles could be

initiated only after that. Singh said the forest department had handed over the

elephants to their owners who should take care of the animals.

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Thank you for your compassion !

With best regards,

Debasis Chakrabarti

Compassionate Crusaders Trust

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