Gauhati High Court orders Tamil Nadu to facilitate inspection of elephant Joymala

Hearing a writ petition filed by the State government of Assam, the Gauhati High Court on Friday ordered the Tamil Nadu government to facilitate inspection of Joymala alias Jaymalyatha, a female tusker from Assam now in captivity at Srivilliputhur Andal temple in Tamil Nadu.

A team from Assam has been in Tamil Nadu since September 3, but has not been granted access so far. After shocking videos of cruelty meted out to the elephant, went viral and were reported by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), the Assam government sent a team to Tamil Nadu to inspect the condition of the elephant. The team comprises administrative officials, forest officials and renowned vet and elephant specialist, Padmashree Dr Kushal Sarma. 

Speaking to the media in Guwahati, after the hearing at the Gauhati High Court, Advocate General of Assam, Devajit Saikia said that after hearing the entire matter, the bench of Justice Suman Shyam ordered that access be granted to the team from Assam by the Tamil Nadu government with adequate police protection to verify the health status of the elephant. 
 
"They had earlier assured the returning of the elephants after seizing them from the temples. As per the initial discussion, we were asked to deposit Rs 5 lakh for the upkeep of the elephants post-seizure from temples. When we asked them to furnish details of the bank account, no communication was received further from their end," Saikia said.

He also added that much before the matter got media hype, the state government of Assam has been pursuing it since 2021 and a series of communication took place between both states in the last year. He added that the communications have been submitted to the court.  

The female tusker was taken on lease to a Tamil Nadu temple from one Girin Moran of Assam in 2011 after getting approval from the forest department. However, even after the end of her lease agreement, the elephant was never returned back, nor did the original owner Moran put in any effort to bring her back. But now the state has taken up the matter as according to the Wildlife Schedule, all wildlife belongs to the State and hence in this case, the Assam government is the rightful owner, added Saikia.