Video footage on Bellanwila jumbo: Temple sources reject media reports

Referring to the video footage circulating on social media, where an elephant was allegedly slapped with sticks by the keeper at Bellanwila Temple in Colombo, a spokesman of the temple told Daily Mirror that it was an incident which had been exaggerated by the so called media sites, which had received false information from NGOs.  

“Anybody, who wishes to see how the elephant is treated, is welcomed to visit the temple,” the spokesman said.

“We would also like to call upon any doctor to examine and see whether there are any injuries on the jumbo. It is still 13- year- old elephant. Even children are punished when they do notorious activities, he said.        

He added some NGO organizations had given information to foreign media sites exaggerating the events in relation to the circulating video footage.     

Meanwhile, Daily Mail has reported that a 15-year-old elephant who was blamed for pushing an elderly monk to his death has been mercilessly whipped with sharp sticks at a Buddhist temple in Sri Lanka.

Footage shows the wild animal, which has its legs chained to trees, lying in a murky pool at the Bellanwila Temple in Colombo, Sri Lanka.  

One keeper is seen viciously slapping the elephant's leg with sticks.

Another keeper appears to clean the animal's leg and give it a scrub while the elephant tries to move his head and starts helplessly crying.

The elephant, known as Myan Prince, wails in pain and tries to grab onto one of the chains with his trunk.
In February 2018, he was blamed for killing an elderly monk at the temple.   

He allegedly pushed Wimalarathana Thero, 77, to the ground during his breakfast feeding.

Bellanwila Temple denied the local reports and claimed the senior monk fell and suffered a heart attack.  

Maneesha Arachchige, an activist from Rally for Animal Rights and Environment, said she is concerned about Myan Prince as he appears to be 'beaten on a regular basis'.