Dibrugarh: A female domesticated elephant named Manki in Kakopathar in upper Assam‘s Tinsukia district, is reportedly in deep distress after sustaining a serious leg injury.
Alarmingly, she has not received any medical attention from the authorities concerned.
Sources alleged that the Assam Forest department has failed to take any steps to rescue Manki and provide her with the necessary treatment.
Rakhi Chetia, from Sivsagar, is identified as the owner of the elephant. However, Manki was found chained in the jungle near Lajum village, Kokapathar, which falls under the jurisdiction of the Doomdooma forest division.
“The injured elephant, believed to be around 7-8 years old, has been left untreated and is suffering immensely. Neither the owner nor the forest department seems interested in her well-being,” sources said.
A video of the weak and injured elephant is available with Northeast Now.
The elephant’s owner residing in Sivsagar and Manki’s presence in a different district, Kokapathar, raises questions. Locals suspect that Manki might have been brought to Kakopathar for illegal logging activities.
“Timber smugglers allegedly use many elephants in Tinsukia and Dibrugarh districts to transport logs illegally extracted from forests. The injuries could be a result of the harsh working conditions,” a local said.
When contacted by Northeast Now, Mriganka Bora, DFO of Doomdooma Division, claimed to have no knowledge about the situation. “I haven’t received any information regarding this matter as of yet,” he said.
Environmental activist Devojit Moran expressed his outrage at the situation. “The owner being from Sivsagar while the elephant is in Kokapathar is suspicious. Most elephants are used illegally to transport logs to sawmills, which trucks cannot access. It’s a major concern that the forest department remains a silent observer,” Moran alleged.