The Hindu : Karnataka News : Conflicting reports about cause of elephant's death

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Nov 09, 2004

Karnataka

Karnataka

Conflicting reports about cause of elephant's death

By Our Staff Correspondent

MYSORE, NOV. 8. There have been conflicting reports over the death of the eight-year-old elephant Komala that was to fly out to Armenia as a `Gift of Goodwill.' The animal died on October 22 barely a few days before it was to be gifted to Yerevan Zoo in Armenia.

It is learnt that the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) report received by the Police Department rules out poisoning, while the member-secretary of the Karnataka Zoo Authority, R.S. Suresh, today claimed that the report that they received from Institute of Animal Health and Biologicals suggested poisoning as the cause of death.

In the light of conflicting reports, the governing council of the zoo decided to meet the Police Commissioner, Praveen Sood, to find out the contents of the report submitted by the FSL.

Even as the reports were received by these two agencies, the governing council of the zoo met here. The meeting was attended by the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, R.M. Ray; the executive director the zoo; Manoj Kumar; the Mayor, Dakshinamurthy; and the zoo authority chairperson, Susheela Keshavamurthy. While taking stock of the situation, the meeting took the versions of the employees, who all along have been demanding action against veterinary doctors for alleged dereliction of duty. The closed-door meeting discussed steps to be initiated to protect the animals and other measures to be taken to improve the situation in the zoo.

Complaints

Mr. Suresh told presspersons after the meeting that they had received complaints from the employees against the veterinarians, and that some had complained even against the zoo Deputy Director, Chandrashekar. Measures, both administrative and security, had been taken to strengthen the security at the zoo, and the security officer of the zoo, Govindaraju's services had been discontinued already, he said.

Mr. Suresh said that of the three doctors, one had been transferred already, and measures were being taken to appoint another veterinarian on contract. Meanwhile, the employees of Sri Chamarajendra Zoological Gardens demanded action against the doctors in the light of the FSL report.

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