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Killer elephant back on streets with new mahout

Man Was Brushed Aside By The Jumbo And Came Under A Bus

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Pune: Despite last weeks incident when a man was run over by a bus on Shivaji road after being pushed by an elephant , the same elephant was spotted in Yerawada on Monday.
This time, the elephant was with another mahout, a man seen in the company of the previous mahout, Kisan Kumbakaran Gautam, on the day the mishap took place.
The forest department had ordered an inquiry into the mishap. Nevertheless the law continues to be violated, even though the government has banned the entry of elephants, camels and horses in the city.
When contacted, Sanjay Pathak, deputy forest conservator , Pune said, We have informed the court as they are to take a decision in this matter . We have requested the court to send Poornima (the elephant) and another elephant to the rescue centre in Bangalore. The court had released the elephant on a bond, stating that the mahout would produce the ownership certificate in three months time.
According to the Animal Welfare Board, the elephant involved in Wednesdays mishap on Shivaji road had been seized by the forest department in 2007.
Manoj Oswal, officer of the animal welfare board, said on Thursday that Poornima and another elephant, Laxmi, had been seized in June 2007 for violation of the Wildlife Protection Act 1972. A criminal case in this regard has been pending in the court for the last twoand-a-half years, he pointed out.
When told that Poornima had been spotted on the road again on Monday, Oswal said, It is disappointing to know that the elephant is on the streets again after last weeks incident. The court has to take a decision on this as soon as possible. There are certain decisions that cannot be taken by the police.