Guwahati: People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India has shared a timeline of elephant Joymala renamed Jemalyatha's abuse and claimed that the elephant was abused.
Recently, PETA also submitted a veterinary inspection report to Forest Department officials in Tamil Nadu and Assam, to establish the continued abuse of Joymala, in a temple.
Taking to the micro-blogging site Twitter, PETA in their timeline stated, ''On 27 July'22, PETA India's veterinary inspection of elephant Joymala (Jeymalyatha) revealed the mahout used pliers to painfully twist her skin for control even in front of inspectors.''
They also mentioned that several ankuses were found in the shed where the elephant was chained by 2 legs for up to 16hrs/day.
''Many ankuses were found in the shed where she's chained by 2 legs for up to 16 hrs/day,'' PETA tweeted.
They further claimed that the pool seen in the news appears to have been created recently purely for public relations and was neither completed nor used during inspection even though she has been with the temple since 2008.
''Latest video surfaced in June'22 where she is beaten in the sanctum sanctorum of Krishnan Kovil temple near Srivilliputhur Nachiyar Thirukovil. Any claims that this is an older video r not substantiated w/ proof,'' PETA alleged.
They wrote on Twitter that the first video of her being beaten at a rejuvenation camp by a mahout and his assistant surfaced on February 21, adding, '' This led TN's Hindu Religious & Charitable Endowments to suspend the mahout involved. However, this did not stop her beatings by the new mahout''.
Notably, as per PETA, the elephant Joymala was reportedly given on a 6-month lease to Tamil Nadu from Assam in 2008 and never returned, making her continued use in Tamil Nadu illegal and in violation of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
They also tagged Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and said that the elephant Joymala needs help to recover from her psychological trauma, to be removed from her place of abuse and sent to a Project Elephant-approved rescue centre where she can receive specialist care, live unchained, and in the company of other allies.
Meanwhile, a delegation from Assam which went to the temple in Tamil Nadu to inspect Joymala's health was reportedly not allowed to meet her. The delegation has been lodging there waiting for further instructions from the state government.
An FIR has been lodged under the Indian Penal Code and the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act on the basis of two videos shared by PETA. The complaint also mentions the Wildlife (Protection) Act and the Tamil Nadu Captive Elephant (Management and Maintenance) Rules.
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