Raj Wildlife Dept takes custody of 10-yr-old elephant calf

Following a local court's order, the Rajasthan Wildlife Department has taken the custody of a female elephant calf, rescued from illegal captivity in Ajmer district.

The Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate had directed the Chief Wildlife Warden (CWLW), G V Reddy, to take the custody of the 10-year-old calf, Suman, which was found captivated in Ajmer against the rules of Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, advocate Tanuj Gupta said.

Following CZA regulations, we have taken custody of the captive elephant. We will take further decision in the matter in a few days, Reddy said.

The accused, Rajendra Sharma, had kept the elephant illegally.

The matter was brought to the attention of the state Forest Department by Humane Society International (HSI) and People for Animal (PFA) last week.

Fearing action into the matter, the alleged owner Rajendra Sharma took the elephant from Ajmer to Jaipur on May 22. A day later, an FIR was filed in the matter in Jaipur after which the Forest Department officials took custody of the animal on May 25, said NG Jayasimha, the managing director of the HSI.

The Assistant Forest Conservator in Ajmer, Kishor Gupta, in an order informed the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate court that Suman was kept illegally by Mahout Akram Khan in Amber of Jaipur without any document. The chip number of Suman was registered in the name of Pratibha Devi, a resident of Assam.

It might be possible that the owner of the calf transported it to Ajmer from Assam, the advocate said.