When contacted, a source in HR&CE (HIndu Religious and Charitable Endowments) Department which organised the 48-day camp said higher officials too had seen the video and one of the mahouts has been placed under suspension pending departmental inquiry.
According to preliminary investigations, the incident occurred when the elephant was allegedly not obeying the mahout’s commands. Angered by its behaviour, Kumar and Sivaprasad chained the elephant to a tree and attacked it, the officials said.
A total of 26 elephants from various temples and mutts in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry were brought to Thekampatti in Coimbatore district for the nearly two-month long rejuvenation camp on February 8. The camp for temple and mutt elephants is being held annually.