Petition seeks HC directive to prevent torture of elephants

A petition was filed with the High Court today seeking its directive on the government to prevent the torture of elephants in the name of training, and unnecessary usage of elephants in circuses and various social events and for street extortion.

People for Animal Welfare (PAW) Foundation, a non-profit organisaion working for animal rights, and actor Jaya Ahsan submitted the petition as a public interest litigation to the HC, challenging the failure of the government to take necessary steps to prevent illegal and unnecessary torture of elephants in the name of training, and the unnecessary usage of elephants in circuses and various social events and for street extortion.

In the petition, they prayed to the HC to issue a rule asking the authorities to show cause as to why the issuance and renewal of elephant-rearing licences causing illegal and unnecessary cruelty to, and torturing of, elephants by elephant owners, trainers and others, in order to brutally train them and use them for performing in circuses/various social events or for street extortion should not be declared illegal.

They also urged the HC to order the government to stop issuing new elephant-rearing licences and renewing existing licences under Sections 11 and 24 of the Wildlife (Conservation and Security) Act, 2012 and rules 5 and 6 of the Deer and Elephant Rearing Rules, 2017.

Petitioners' lawyer Saqeb Mahbub told The Daily Star that the HC may hold a hearing on the petition in a few days.