The mystery of the missing elephant – a 35-year-old pachyderm, Laxmi, was abducted by her mahout over two months’ ago from the Indian capital of New Delhi.
Wildlife officials looked high and low for the domesticated giant but to no avail. All 5,000 kilograms of Laxmi had disappeared into thin air, resulting in a nationwide alert.
Finally, the 45-year-old mahout, Yusuf Ali, has surfaced in an interview with the English language daily The Indian Express Monday. And, apparently, he has been hiding all this while in Delhi itself, along with the elephant.
It has been a very difficult time. I had to take proper care of Laxmi and it was all right if there was no food at home, but for her, I would arrange a 500-litre water tanker every day, along with sugarcane and jowar [sorghum].
He told the newspaper from the Indian city of Mumbai: “After the incident on July 6, we went into hiding. I hid Laxmi in the forests near the banks of the Yamuna for a few days while I kept shifting homes, staying with my relatives here.
“A few days later, one of my friends said he has a large farmhouse where I can keep Laxmi, and it has been there ever since. I take it out every evening for a walk for about an hour or two.
“It has been a very difficult time. I had to take proper care of Laxmi and it was all right if there was no food at home, but for her, I would arrange a 500-litre water tanker every day, along with sugarcane and jowar [sorghum].”
What happened previously?
The Indian Express had earlier reported that “a committee formed by the chief wildlife warden in January 2016 found poor housing and health conditions, and lack of suitable space and water facilities for six domesticated elephants in Delhi. ….A notice by the chief wildlife warden in April 2017 advised owners to surrender the elephants within seven days, or they would be seized.”
Several court cases later, in October 2018, three elephants— Chandani, Gangaram and Dhonmati— were sent from Delhi to Gujarat. Three others— Hiragaj, Lakshmi and Moti— were still in Delhi, and the chief wildlife warden asked the owners to surrender the animals by March 1, 2019.
Lakshmi was scheduled to be sent to an elephant rehabilitation centre in Ban Santor. However, on July 6, when forest officials went to take the elephant away, the mahout’s family got into a scuffle with them and Ali ran away with Laxmi. He’s been in hiding since then. The police have filed an FIR or First Information Report against him.
What now?
He currently has a non-bailable permanent arrest warrant against him under IPC sections 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty) and 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions), his advocate Shailendra Babbar told The Indian Express Monday.
