A 15- year old pregnant elephant which came to Velliyar River side in Mallapuram, Kerala in search of food was fed pineapple that was filled with firecrackers by a merciless vandal. The firecrackers exploded in the mouth of the elephant and it died after succumbing to injuries on May 27.
The injured elephant stood in the river and let its mouth and trunk in the water to ease the excruciating pain. Two Kumki elephants were brought to bring the injured elephant to the shore but it had already died due to asphyxia (Struggling and suffocating to breathe).
Mohan Krishnan, Section Forest Officer, Nilambur who acted as the Official of Rapid Response Team that tried to save the elephant broke the story on his Facebook page.
David Abraham, Assistant Forest Veterinary Officer who did the post-mortem, said that he has never seen such a tragic death. In another 22 months, the elephant would have delivered a calf. The miscreant is yet to be found.