Ahmedabad: Video of man beating elephant sparks outrage; forest dept starts inquiry

Hindustan Times

12 hours ago

Ahmedabad: The Gujarat forest department started an inquiry on Saturday after a video of a man repeatedly beating a female elephant in Ahmedabad was widely shared on social media platforms, including X. The 43-second footage of the person, reportedly a mahout (handler), striking the elephant around 19 times with a stick has sparked widespread outrage (Video grab)
The 43-second footage of the person, reportedly a mahout (handler), striking the elephant around 19 times with a stick has sparked widespread outrage among citizens, including animal welfare advocates.
The forest department has begun an inquiry into the alleged animal abuse case, an official said.
This incident comes two days after a single male elephant, Babulal—startled by loud DJ music and shrill noises—ran amok near Desai ni Pol in Khadia, causing panic during the 148th Jagannath Rath Yatra in Ahmedabad on Friday.
With 17 elephants, 101 trucks, 30 akhadas, 18 bhajan groups, and three bands, the annual procession—drawing thousands to pull the chariots of Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra, and Subhadra from the Jagannath Temple in Jamalpur along a 16-kilometer route—began around 7 am and was proceeding smoothly until 10.15 am, when the elephant bolted, scattering devotees.
Two people, including a woman police officer, were injured while trying to flee.
Police, mahouts, and forest staff tranquilized the elephant within 15 minutes and removed it, along with two female elephants, Janaki and Rani, who also showed signs of distress during the procession. The remaining 14 elephants continued the 16km journey.
An official, requesting anonymity, said that the person seen beating the elephant in the recent video was present at the Rathyatra procession on June 27 alongside the elephants.
'We have initiated an inquiry to verify the authenticity of the video, which began circulating on the evening of June 27. The person beating the female elephant appears to be a mahout, though we are confirming this. During the Yatra, the female elephants gave a distress call, prompting Babulal to respond due to their strong bond. The elephants were disturbed by loud music, whistles, or colorful balloons. These three elephants are relatively new to large public events. In the footage, Babulal appears to be trying to escape, with the female elephants showing similar discomfort,' chief conservator of forests in Ahmedabad K. Ramesh said.
Condemning the cruelty captured in the video and calling for systemic change, animal activists have raised concerns about the welfare of captive elephants. Many suspect that the harsh conditions during the Yatra—30°C temperatures, tar-covered roads, heavy decorations, and loud sounds—may have caused stress among the elephants, potentially triggering the handler's mistreatment.
The elephant is listed as a Schedule I animal under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, which grants it the highest level of legal protection. Any harm caused to it is a serious offence, punishable with 3 to 7 years of imprisonment and a minimum fine of ₹ 25,000, a forest official said.