The District Captive Elephant Management Committee has decided to pursue legal action, including arrests, against the temple committee members and festival organisers of the Ponnaram Theru Shree Mahaganapathi Temple at Balussery for the alleged unauthorised parading of an elephant during a recent festival without obtaining the required permission.
The decision was taken at a meeting chaired by District Collector Snehil Kumar Singh held on Wednesday (March 11, 2025) morning. The committee was constituted as per the Kerala Captive Elephants (Management and Maintenance) Rules, 2012.
A press release said cases had already been previously registered and orders issued against the organisers. Instructions had also been given to the Superintendent of Police (Kozhikode Rural) in this regard.
The meeting pointed out that complaints had been received against the owner of the elephant named Balussery Gajendran, which had been paraded during the festival in 2021 and 2023. The Divisional Forest Officer would submit a report to the Collector after examining the existing complaints and the Supreme Court verdicts regarding elephant processions. Based on this, further steps, including taking the elephant into custody, would be decided, the press release said.
The committee would also review the standards for granting festival permissions involving elephants. The approval process requires organisers to submit detailed applications including festival information, proof of elephant insurance, and maintenance of proper movement documentation of animals.
Joint inspections by Fire and Rescue Services, Forest, Police, Revenue, and Animal Husbandry department officials are also being held at places where applications have been submitted.
Published – March 12, 2025 11:44 pm IST