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Elephant killers sell baby, say residents

by M. Nelson Piyaratne Kataragama group correspondent

An organised racket of killing a mother elephant and selling the baby has successfully been carried out in Kataragama, a section of the residents told the Daily News.

According to them several farmers who conducted an unauthorised cultivation in a place called Vilamba wewa which is situated in Yala jungle close to Kataragama had shot a mother elephant that came to eat the crop with its baby elephant.

Next they had and brought up the baby elephant among the buffaloes that had been released to the jungle by the villagers to graze, and with the help of one of these cattle owners who looks after the buffaloes staying in the jungle have supplied the baby with cow milk everyday.

Later they had brought this baby to a house situated in a place called Dambe, and disposed of it to a wealthy businessman from Ratnapura who is an owner of elephants. He had paid Rs. 50,000 to those who captured the baby elephant and brought it to Ratnapura.

Several residents had informed the relevant authorities while the baby elephant was in the jungle but no action was taken.

If this kind of crimes were allowed to continue the poachers and Chena farmers will make a profitable business. Hence the residents urge the Minister, Rukman Senanayake to took into this matter.

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