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Time of India
09-07-2025
- General
- Time of India
The elephant who never mated, yet became a mother to many
Bhopal: She came from the southern jungles, responding only to a language no one in this state spoke, and stood silent before the local mahouts — including Maniram, the man who would spend nearly 30 years by her side. "When I first called her, she didn't even blink," says Maniram Gond, the mahout who would eventually become her shadow. "Initially she used to only understand the south Indian language (Malayalam). I spoke Hindi and Gondi. We were strangers — two beings from different worlds." But somehow, without words, they built something stronger than language. Vatsala — the gentle giant who once hauled timber in Kerala's forests and later patrolled the tiger lands of Madhya Pradesh — lived to be over 100. She witnessed generations of elephants come and go, survived brutal injuries, lost her sight, and yet always responded to one voice: Maniram's. This week, she fell for the last time, leaving behind more than just silence in the Panna Tiger Reserve. To the man who called her his first and last elephant, it felt like losing a part of himself. Vatsala was brought to Narmadapuram from Kerala in 1971. She was already around 50 years old and had spent years working with handlers in the south, apparently responding only to Malayalam commands. In 1993, she was moved to Panna Tiger Reserve. A year later, Maniram was transferred from Narmadapuram and was assigned to her. "At first, it was frustrating. She wouldn't respond to anything. But elephants are like people — they can feel intentions. Slowly, she began to understand my tone, my touch. Even without a common language, we figured each other out." Back then, Maniram earned just two rupees a day. Now in his 50s and earning Rs 24,000 a month, he still says Vatsala was the best part of his job. Vatsala was known in the reserve for her gentle nature. "She never gave me trouble — not once in all those years," Maniram says. Then, chuckling, he adds, "Except that one time. She ran away with the howdah strapped to her back. Took us a whole week to bring her back. That's the only mischief I remember." Her calmness was legendary. Schoolchildren visiting the park would run around her, even play beneath her belly. "She never got angry. Never moved. She was like a grandmother." Indeed, while Vatsala never mated, she took on the role of caretaker for young elephants in the reserve. Many called her 'Dadi' as well. "She looked after all the calves. She'd guide them, protect them. But she always stayed away from male elephants. Always." That refusal to mate led to one of the most traumatic chapters in her life. In 2003 and again in 2008, a male elephant named Rambhahdur violently attacked her. "He wanted to mate, and she wouldn't let him," Maniram says. "He became aggressive and attacked her. In one of the attacks, her stomach was torn open. Her intestines came out. It took nine months of treatment to save her." Despite the pain, Vatsala healed — and never once turned aggressive in return. By 2004, her eyesight had faded severely. The forest department officially retired her from active patrol duty, recognizing her age and growing frailty. From that point on, Maniram was assigned solely to care for her. "She couldn't see, but she always knew when I was near. Even in her last years, when she was fully blind, she'd lift her trunk the moment I called her name." Now, with Vatsala gone, Maniram feels adrift. "I don't know what I'll do next. For the last three decades, she was my only responsibility." Though proud of his work, he's firm about one thing. "I won't let my son take this job. It's dangerous. Rambhahdur — the same elephant who attacked Vatsala — killed a mahout and a ranger. This work takes everything — your time, your strength, your heart." Still, he knows he was part of something rare. "She was my first elephant," he says. "And my last. No one else will be like her." Though her name may never appear in any record book, Vatsala's story — one of resilience, quiet grace, and an unlikely friendship that transcended language — will be remembered for generations in the forests of Panna. On Tuesday, Vatsala fell into a pit near the Hinauta Elephant Camp and could not get up. Her body, which had carried strength and survival for more than a century, had finally given in to time. "She fought many battles in life, but this time, her body just gave up," said a senior officer who had been part of her care team. Vatsala's remarkable age had drawn the attention of officials who wanted her recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as one of the oldest living elephants in the world. Samples of her tusks were even sent to labs in a bid to verify her age through scientific analysis. Documentation was nearly complete. "Without official records from her early life or veterinary documentation from the time of her capture, we couldn't meet the strict criteria set by Guinness. We were so close, but we just didn't have that one paper," said an officer. Despite that, Vatsala remained a living legend in the eyes of the people who knew her. She spent over 30 years in Panna, not only surviving near-fatal injuries but serving as a silent sentinel of the forest — dignified, strong, and wise. When contacted APCCF (Wildlife) L Krishnamurthy said that there was no forensic system available to find out the exact age of the elephant. "She would be remembered forever," said the officer. R Sreenivasa Murthy, a 1987 batch IFS officer and former field director of the Panna National Park also remembered Vatsala as a calm elephant. "Elephants are social animals and they follow matriarchal" he said.
The Hindu
09-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
12 Maoists, including 9 carrying ₹28.50 lakh bounty, surrender in Chhattisgarh's Dantewada
Twelve Maoists, nine of them carrying a collective reward of ₹28.50 lakh, surrendered in Dantewada district of Chhattisgarh on Wednesday (July 9, 2025) , a police official said. 'With this, a total of 1,005 Naxalites, including 249 with bounty on their heads, have so far surrendered in the district under the 'Lon Varratu' (term in Gondi dialect meaning 'return to your home/village') campaign, launched in June 2020, Dantewada', Superintendent of Police Gaurav Rai said. "The number of Maoists, who surrendered under the Lon Varratu campaign of the Dantewada police, has crossed the 1,000-mark and this achievement reflects the far-sighted policies of the government, the continuous action of the security forces and the trust of the local communities," he said. Also Read | Sharp rise in women Maoists killed in operations in Chhattisgarh since 2024 It is a symbol of the commitment of the government and administration to bring back the youth, who have strayed due to the hollow ideology of Maoists, to the mainstream, he said. "The 12 cadres, including two women, turned themselves in before senior police officials as well as those belonging to the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), citing disappointment with growing differences within the outlawed outfit, harsh forest life and hollow Maoist ideology," he said. The surrendered cadres also said they were impressed by the rehabilitation drive 'Lon Varratu' and the state government's new surrender and rehabilitation policy, he said. Of the surrendered cadres, Chandranna alias Bursu Punem (52), who was active as a divisional committee member in the west Bastar division of Maoists, and Amit alias Hinga Barsa (26), who was active in the same rank under Gadchiroli division, carried a reward of Rs 8 lakh each, he said. The duo were involved in multiple attacks on security forces in the past, he said. Two other cadres Aruna Lekam (25), an area committee member, and Deva Kawasi (22), a section commander, carried a reward of ₹5 lakh and ₹3 lakh respectively, he said. One cadre was carrying a reward of Rs 2 lakh, a woman cadre ₹1 lakh and three others ₹50,000 each, he said. The surrendered cadres under Lon Varratu drive belong to Sukma, Bijapur and Narayanpur districts apart from Dantewada, he said. In 2024, a total of 792 Naxalites had surrendered in Bastar region, comprising seven districts, including Dantewada, as per police.
Time of India
09-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
12 Maoists Surrender in Chhattisgarh, Bounty Totals Rs 28.50 Lakh
NEW DELHI: Twelve Maoists, including nine with bounties totaling Rs 28.50 lakh, surrendered to authorities in Chhattisgarh's Dantewada district on Wednesday, marking a significant milestone in the 'Lon Varratu' (term in Gondi dialect meaning 'return to your home/village) campaign as the total surrenders crossed 1,000 since its launch in June 2020. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The latest group of surrendered cadres included two women who turned themselves in to senior police and CRPF officials, citing disillusionment with the Maoist ideology and harsh forest life. "The number of Maoists, who surrendered under the Lon Varratu campaign of the Dantewada police, has crossed the 1,000-mark and this achievement reflects the far-sighted policies of the government, the continuous action of the security forces and the trust of the local communities," said Dantewada Superintendent of Police Gaurav Rai to news agency PTI. "It is a symbol of the commitment of the government and administration to bring back the youth, who have strayed due to the hollow ideology of Maoists, to the mainstream," he added. Among the surrendered militants, Chandranna alias Bursu Punem, 52, and Amit alias Hinga Barsa, 26, each carried Rs 8 lakh bounties. Both were divisional committee members involved in multiple attacks on security forces. Two other significant surrenders included Aruna Lekam, 25, an area committee member with a Rs 5 lakh bounty, and Deva Kawasi, 22, a section commander with a Rs 3 lakh reward. The remaining cadres carried varying bounties - one with Rs 2 lakh, a woman cadre with Rs 1 lakh, and three others with Rs 50,000 each. "The 12 cadres, including two women, turned themselves in before senior police officials as well as those belonging to the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) citing disappointment with growing differences within outlawed outfit, harsh forest life and hollow Maoist ideology," Rai added. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The surrendered individuals were also influenced by the rehabilitation drive 'Lon Varratu' and the state government's new surrender and rehabilitation policy. The successful campaign has now seen a total of 1,005 Maoists surrender, including 249 with bounties on their heads. The surrendered cadres under the Lon Varratu drive came from various districts including Sukma, Bijapur, and Narayanpur, apart from Dantewada. Police records show that in 2024, a total of 792 Maoists had surrendered across the seven districts of the Bastar region, including Dantewada.
Time of India
06-06-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Another T'gana Maoist leader killed in Bijapur
1 2 Hyderabad: In a continuing crackdown on Maoist leadership, security forces gunned down a senior CPI (Maoist) functionary from Telangana in an encounter near Bijapur in Chhattisgarh on Friday. The slain cadre was identified as Mailarapu Adelu, known by his aliases Bhaskar, Jangu Dada, and Mahesh—a key figure within the outlawed group. Bhaskar served as a Telangana state committee member and secretary of the Mancherial–Kumuram Bheem-Asifabad (MKB) divisional committee, a crucial zone for Maoist operations in Telangana. Undercover operations The encounter was part of a coordinated offensive by the Chhattisgarh police's special task force (STF), district reserve guard (DRG), and the CoBRA unit of the Central Reserve Police Force, aimed at dismantling the upper echelons of Maoist leadership in the region. Aged 53, Bhaskar hailed from Pochera village in Boath mandal of Telangana's Adilabad district. Born into a Scheduled Caste (Madiga) farming family, he reportedly dropped out of school before joining the Maoist ranks. Over the years, he rose through the cadre to become a senior strategist and operative . Fluent in Telugu, Hindi, and Gondi, he was said to have strong ties with tribal communities like the Gothikoyas, and was reportedly carrying an AK-47 rifle during the encounter. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 자신이 전략의 달인이라고 생각하시나요? 레이드 섀도우 레전드 Undo Telangana police records show he carried a bounty of 20 lakh. His wife, Kanthi Lingavva alias Anitha, also a divisional committee member in the same zone, was killed in an encounter in Dec 2022. Major setbacks to Maoists Friday's operation comes on the heels of the killing of central committee member Sudhakar, a top Maoist ideologue and head of the technical wing, who was neutralised in the same district on Thursday. These back-to-back operations follow the high-profile death of CPI (Maoist) general secretary Basavaraju in an encounter in Narayanpur on May 21. At 70, Basavaraju was the topmost leader of the outfit, and his death is widely seen as a severe blow to the Maoist command chain. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Eid wishes , messages , and quotes !
Scroll.in
04-06-2025
- General
- Scroll.in
Legislature cannot be in contempt simply for passing laws: Supreme Court in Salwa Judum case
The state Legislatures or Parliament cannot be held in contempt of court for simply passing a law, the Supreme Court has ruled as it closed the Salwa Judum case after 18 years. The court said this while disposing of a 2012 contempt plea filed by sociologist and former Delhi University Professor Nandini Sundar and others against the Chhattisgarh government's 2011 Auxiliary Armed Police Force Act. In its May 15 ruling that was released recently, the bench of Justices BV Nagarathna and Satish Chandra Sharma said that state Legislatures had the 'plenary powers to pass an enactment' and would have the force of law as long as it 'has not been declared to be ultra vires the Constitution or, in any way, null and void by a Constitutional Court'. 'We must remember that central to the legislative function is the power of the legislative organ to enact as well as amend laws,' the court said. 'Any law made by the Parliament or a state Legislature cannot be held to be an act of contempt of a court, including this court, for simply making the law.' In 2005, the Salwa Judum, a state-supported civil vigilante campaign, was launched with an aim of targeting villages seen as harbouring Maoists. Armed vigilantes allegedly torched homes and forced villagers to flee to government-run camps. Translated as 'purification hunt' in Gondi language, Salwa Judum was presented by the state government as a spontaneous movement by the region's tribal community against the Maoists. However, human rights activists accused the Salwa Judum of coercing people into leaving their villages and supporting the group. With the tribal community split between both sides, there were several deaths for months. In May 2007, Sundar and others filed a writ petition in the Supreme Court alleging that the state government was using men from the tribal community as cannon-fodder in its fight against the Maoists. Four months later, the state government enacted the Chhattisgarh Police Act to absorb many of the Judum activists as special police officers. This was struck down by the Supreme Court on July 5, 2011, saying that the state actions amounted to 'an abdication of constitutional responsibilities' and that it represents 'an extreme form of transgression of constitutional boundaries'. The court also said that Salwa Judum was unconstitutional and ordered the group to be disbanded. Amid criticism, the Chhattisgarh Cabinet on July 22, 2011, promulgated an ordinance to introduce the Auxiliary Armed Police Force Act. Under the new Act, the special police officers were recruited as assistant constables on better terms and conditions. Sundar then filed a contempt plea before the Supreme Court in 2012 accusing the Chhattisgarh government of failing to stop its support for civil vigilante groups such as the Judum in its fight against Maoists. The plea argued that the 2011 law had simply legalised the existence of special police officers instead of complying with the court's order of winding up their activities. Other petitioners in the case The Indian Express reported.
