Sick Indian elephant dies asleep

By Sunil Raman
BBC News, Delhi

Arundhati spent three weeks in pain

An 80-year-old elephant at the centre of a mercy killing debate in India has died of natural causes, officials say.

The elephant, Arundhati, broke her leg three weeks ago in the northern state of Uttarakhand. Vets said her multiple fractures could not be repaired.

She died in her sleep on Tuesday night before they could give her a lethal injection to end her pain.

Animal rights activists had accused the forest department of negligence for not providing adequate medical care.

'Delay'

The chief wildlife warden of Uttarakhand state was not available for comment.

But his predecessor, Anand Singh Negi, told the BBC that the death of the elephant could be called negligence to the extent that Arundhati "was not given timely treatment".

We will not learn any lessons from this. The same mistake will be repeated Activist Maneka Gandhi

Mr Negi said there was no full-time vet attached to Rajaji National Park where she lived.

Vets from wildlife institutes based in the state capital, Dehradun, had had to be depended upon, he said.

Mr Negi said that as chief wildlife warden he had asked for two full-time vets to be posted in Dehradun.

Although the government had accepted the proposal, it had never been implemented, he said.

Arundhati's plight attracted much attention and animal lovers camped close to the injured elephant for days.

Animal welfare activists were joined by former environment minister and animal rights campaigner Maneka Gandhi, who expressed concern at the lack of medical care for wildlife in India.

Ms Gandhi said there had been a delay in providing medical care to the elephant.

She added that "we will not learn any lessons from this. The same mistake will be repeated".