Main image via Twitter
If you’ve been on social media recently, you would have definitely heard about the pregnant elephant who was mercilessly killed when she bit into a pineapple filled with firecrackers.
The internet has been in rage since the news first broke, and it’s definitely for good reason.
Image via The News Minute
For those of you who don’t know about the tragedy, here’s what happen.
A pregnant elephant died of excruciating pain in Kerala, India, after she bit into pineapple that was filled with firecrackers. The explosives went off in her mouth, and it damaged her jaw grievously.
Speaking to Sky News, a spokesperson from the Kerala Forest Department said that farmers are known to put fireworks inside food and plant it on the edges of their fields to keep wild animals away.
Forest officer Mohan Krishnan who was part of the team who attempted to rescue the elephant, brought the incident to the public’s attention by sharing the animal’s plight on Facebook.
“She trusted everyone,” he said. “When the pineapple she ate exploded, she must have been shocked not thinking about herself, but about the child she was going to give birth to in 18 to 20 months.”
Image via The News Minute
The pregnant elephant’s tongue and mouth were so badly injured that she wasn’t able to eat.
“She didn’t harm a single human being even when she ran in searing pain in the streets of the village,” Mohan added. “She didn’t crush a single home.”
The elephant made her way to the Velliyar River and stood in the water with her head partially submerged.
Even when the rescue team brought two elephants to help her out of the river, she wouldn’t move. She eventually died while still standing in the river.
Officials took her back to the forest in a truck, and cremated her there.
Image via AsiaNews
Investigation into the death of the elephant is currently ongoing.
Meanwhile, social media has been abuzz with many expressing their anger over the cruel incident. Artists however, are paying tribute and honouring the pregnant elephant with beautiful artworks that also show the world the injustice that has occurred.
This is definitely a horrible thing to have happened. We hope that those who were involved in this cruel incident will be brought to justice.
Rest in peace mama and baby elephant.
Info via Bored Panda