Injured elephant shifted to rehabilitation centre

A 40-year-old female elephant who was suffering from a fractured leg and found lying in pain near a nala in Pradhikaran area on Wednesday was shifted to the Manikdoh Rehabilitation Centre at Junnar on Thursday. The pachyderm was shifted by the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) and the forest department.

Apparently, the mahout, who allegedly used to take the pachyderm around the city for alms, had abandoned the animal.
PCMC’s chief veterinarian Dr Satish Gore examined the animal after he was informed by Bahinabai Zoological Garden director Anil Khaire on Wednesday.

Gore said, “The animal’s left hind leg has a fracture and its right hind leg is badly infected with a gangrenous wound. The depth of the wound is about 4 inches. The animal is in pain but responding to treatment,’’ he said. Animal rights activists Manoj Oswal, who also visited the spot, said that the elephant’s name is Chanchal.

“In 2008, we had taken up the case of Chanchal and two other elephants being ill-treated by their mahouts with the concerned officials,’’he said.