A 55-year-old captive elephant, known as Nellikattu Mahadevan or Babu, passed away in Kochi on Friday afternoon. The tragic incident occurred in Nettoor, where the elephant had been brought for a temple festival.
Festival Plans and Sudden Illness
The elephant was transported to the Thirunettoor Mahadeva Temple to participate in a ceremonial parade. However, officials observed that the animal was not in good health. As a result, a decision was made not to include him in the festival proceedings for his own welfare.
A veterinary doctor was immediately summoned to the location to examine the ailing elephant. The doctor administered an injection in an attempt to treat the animal and improve its condition. Despite this medical intervention, the health of Nellikattu Mahadevan did not show any signs of recovery.
Collapse and Official Confirmation
According to officials from the Social Forestry department, the elephant collapsed in the afternoon and subsequently died. The exact cause of the death remains unknown at this stage. Authorities have stated that a postmortem examination will be conducted on Saturday to determine the precise reason behind the tragic demise.
Ownership and Custody Details
Official documents list the ownership of the elephant under the name of Tony Thomas. Interestingly, for the past two decades, the elephant was not directly with the owner. Instead, Nellikattu Mahadevan had been in the custody of a family that operates a chain of Ayurvedic eye hospitals based in Piravom.
The death has once again brought the issue of captive elephant welfare in Kerala into focus, especially during festival seasons when these animals are often subjected to long hours and stressful environments.
