Orissa HC issues show cause to Andhra govt over elephant's death

Cuttack, Dec 8 (UNI) The Orissa High Court has issued a notice to the Andhra Pradesh government over the death of an elephant during translocation to Orissa in October.

Adjudicating a writ petition filed by one Dandapani Mohanty, a division bench of the court, comprising Chief Justice A K Ganguly and Justice B Mohapatra, yesterday directed the Andhra Pradesh government to file its counter within a month.

Mr Mohanty, in his petition, had alleged that one of the 11-member herd of elephants that strayed into the territory of Andhra Pradesh, died soon after it was shifted to Orissa following the faulty and cruel procedure adopted by the former state government during translocation.

The pachyderms, he further alleged, were injected with high doses of tranquilisers, chained in trucks and transported in a brutal manner.

The female elephant died soon after it was left back at the Lakhari sanctuary inside the Orissa territory along with her calf owing to heavy does of transquilisers, shock and exhaustion, Mr Mohanty alleged.

In his petition, he prayed the court to direct the authorities not to sedate, chain and transport them in trucks.

A herd of 11 elephants had strayed into Andhra Pradesh from the Lakhari reserve about seven months back and destroyed crops.

Two of the elephants died in Andhra Pradesh.

UNI