Elephant Lakshmi at the Sri Manakula Vinayagar Temple. (representative image) The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court expressing its displeasure over the use of elephants at temples has sought the report on Masini, an elephant at the Samayapuram temple, currently undergoing treatment at the Thanjavur Veterinary Hospital reports The Hindu.
Division Bench of Justices M M Sundresh and N Sathish Kumar is reported to have sought a report from the dean of the Veterinary College and Research Institute at Thanjavur on the medical condition of Masini acting on a PIL.
The petitioner, R Antony Clement Rubin of Chennai, complained that Masini suffered behavioural changes after she was moved to the temple.
Masini in 2007 was rescued from the Kargudi range of Mudumalai forest by Forest Department officials after her mother and herd abandoned her.
She was brought to the Theppakadu camp, where she adapted to the life among humans and developed a bond with the other elephants at the camp. The petitioner had said that if Masini is restored to her natural habitat at Theppakadu camp, her health will progress effectively.
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