An animal lover from Hyderabad has announced a reward of Rs two lakh to anyone providing information to the Kerala police leading to the arrest of the killers of a pregnant elephant in that state.
B. T. Srinivasan, a farmer, said he was shocked over the incident in which the elephant was reportedly fed a pineapple stuffed with crackers, resulting in the death of the pregnant elephant and the baby in its womb.
"I want to offer a reward of two lakh rupees from my personal savings to the person who gives information about the miscreants," said Srinivasan, who cultivates paddy in Medak district.
He said the persons who resorted to the beastly act should not go unpunished.
Srinivasan, who is also the general secretary of United Federation of Resident Welfare Associations, Greater Hyderabad, said the person providing information leading to the arrest of the culprits would get the reward after the conviction in the case.
He plans to issue the cheque to the animal husbandry department of Kerala for making the payment to the person who provides vital information to the police leading to the arrest and conviction of the accused.
Srinivasan said the reports about the way the elephant suffered for four days brought tears to him. "Anybody with some empathy for the living creatures would have felt the pain to see the elephant suffering like this," he said.
He wants the law-enforcing authorities to show the same seriousness in arresting the culprits which they would have shown to apprehend the killers of a human being.
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said on Thursday that the suspects have been identified in the case.
The wild elephant reportedly strayed into a village in the Palakkad district last month and was suspected to have eaten fruit stuffed with firecrackers. The crackers exploded in the elephant's mouth and it walked for days in agony before it went into a river and died standing on May 27.
(With Inputs from IANS)