Kohli calls for relocation of Jaipur elephant

Indian cricket captain Virat Kohli Thursday penned a letter on behalf of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India, calling on Rajasthan's forest and environment minister to relocate an elephant, known as 'Number 44', to a rehabilitation facility.

A group of American tourists had witnessed eight men violently beating an elephant at Amber Fort in June last year, and the animal is still being forced to give rides.

"As a professional cricketer, I am proud to represent our country, but when I learned about the hateful attack on 'Number 44' last June, I felt so ashamed," Kohli wrote in the letter.

"Violence against animals is completely unacceptable, not to mention illegal, and our nation cannot fail elephants this way. I beseech you to start helping them by transferring Number 44 to a reputable rehabilitation facility where she can get the care she needs, socialise with others of her kind, and live free from chains, abuse, and fear."