Stabbed by mahouts:

Tallest Pinnawala elephant dies

C S Adhikariarachchi Sabaragamuwa Special and Oswald Godakumbura Rambukkana Special Corr

‘Neelagiri’ a 32 year-old male elephant in the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage died yesterday morning due to severe injuries caused by stabbing with elephant goads by three mahouts.

The dead elephant was the tallest of the Pinnawala herd, “Neelagiri” was caught in the Lahugala Forest and brought to the Pinnawala elephant orphanage in 1986.

Veterinary surgeons of Peradeniya Veterinary Science Faculty and the elephant orphanage treated the wounded elephant who was considered as the father of many baby elephants born there, without any success as the elephant failed to recover, said Zoological Department Director General Bhaswara Senaka Goonaratna.

The suspects have been interdicted while an investigation is carried out on the elephant’s death.