More trouble for Maya's elephants in UP

After the veil, BSP's election mascot elephant has now been chained for campaigning for the party in Shamli town.

The elephant was taking rounds of the town for the past several days with two 'mahouts' perched on it, police said today.

After complaints by some candidates that two men posing as 'mahouts' were taking out the elephant for campaigning for a particular party (BSP), police decided to restrain the elephant.

The owners, who have been directed to keep the elephant in chains, claimed they were using the animal for the purpose of seeking alms and not for campaigning, police said.

The Election Commission had ordered veiling of statues of elephants in Noida and Lucknow parks during elections because they were built at state expense.