Spotlight widened on temple elephant

(Published in Daily Mirror on 24/10/2015)
 
By Shehan Chamika Silva

 The Wildlife Department yesterday sought permission from Colombo Additional Magistrate Nishantha Pieris to probe the circumstances as to how the elephant allegedly caught from a jungle was kept at the Alan Methiniyarama Temple in Kirulapone under a forged licence.

The Department said they had already recorded a statement from Ven. Uduwe Dhammaloka Thera of the temple and was launching a special investigation to uncover the incident on how the Elephant was brought to the temple in The Department said they had already recorded a statement from Ven. Uduwe Dhammaloka Thera of the temple January this year.

Further, the prosecution told the Magistrate that the elephant was now being kept at the Pinnawala Transit Home and well treated.

Earlier in January, the elephant was found at the temple and taken into the custody by the CID and Wildlife Department.

The Magistrate allowed request of the Wildlife Department and the case was postponed for November 20.