A young elephant named Chitillapilly Rajashekaran has been allegedly beaten to death and his body transported to another district in order to cover up the torture and wounds. This young elephant had just emerged from his musth - an annual cycle when the bulls are in heat.
When they enter into their musth their testosterone and energy level surge. They're overwhelmed by the urge to mate. The shackles are tightened severely to restrain them, as the elephants tend to become dominant during this time. In captivity they become frustrated and aggressive as they're unable to release their energies. So these elephants are deprived of food and water, in order to make them weak and submissive.
But after they emerge from their musth these innocent animals must still undergo the cruelest of rituals. It's a secret tradition that involves seven or eight drunk men beating the living day lights out of this animal for 48-72 hours, part of unchaining the bulls that emerge from their musth. The practice is based on a superstitious belief that the elephants may have forgotten their commands during their musth. It's a horrifying ritual designed to break the elephant's spirit and remind them that their masters are in control. Not only all bull elephants in Kerala have to undergo this cruel practice every single year, but also baby elephants, and all elephants captured from the wild.
This is the first case of death of an elephant below the age of 21 in past six years, and the first elephant death in 2016, and WANT TO MAKE IT THE LAST DEATH DUE TO SUCH HORRIFIC PRACTICE. The Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) has called directed Kerala's government to conduct a postmortem.
This is not the kind of life these noble beings deserve! There are close to 600 elephants in Kerala, mostly bulls. Each and every one of these bulls have to undergo the same kind of ritual practice every single year.
