Thrissur: SC notice on jumbo race
The petition to ban the annual jumbo race was filed several months ago and the SC took it up for hearing on Thursday.
Thrissur: The Supreme Court has ordered to send legal notice to the Guruvayur Devaswom managing committee based on a petition to ban the annual elephant race at Guruvayur temple.
The petition was filed by the Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre (WRRC) in Bangalore on the basis of another petition pending before the SC citing the alleged atrocities meted out to captive elephants in 12 states in India.
“The petition to ban the annual jumbo race was filed several months ago and the SC took it up for hearing on Thursday. The WRRC counsel told the court about the torture suffered by the pachyderms during the race and said the show was held as an entertainment for the crowd,” Suparna Ganguly, WRRC chairperson, said.
Ten among the elephants of the devaswom are selected by the veterinary doctors of the GD to take part in the ‘Aanayottam’ of which five are selected through a draw to run the 500-metre race from Manjulal to the eastern entrance tower of the temple. Suparna Ganguly was earlier assigned by the Animal Welfare Board of India to file a report on the plight of nearly 50 elephants owned by GD at its elephant sanctuary near Punnathur Kotta, three km from the temple.