Peaceful wild elephant shot dead by police, sparking outrage

• Residents said that the elephant had never harmed anyone

By Kanchana Kumara   

A tense atmosphere prevailed at Dampura in Damanayaya in  Bakamuna on Thursday night (15) when the police shot dead a wild  elephant, blind in one eye, frequenting the area and loved by the people  since it had not hurt anyone. Wildlife officers said the jumbo had been  shot dead with a T56 rifle.   

Residents of the area said the wild elephant frequenting  the road had been shot by a police patrol from a trishaw. 
They said the  wild elephant, blind in one eye, had been a pet of the people and that it  had not hurt anyone. 
They said the jumbo often roamed into the home  gardens to be fed by the people and moved away when called by its pet  name Raja.  

 They said they were shocked to find it shot dead, and the carcass dragged to a location about 50 metres away with a backhoe.   

The incident created a tense atmosphere between the police and the residents of the area.   

However, OIC Bakamuna Police said the wild elephant  frequenting the road had attempted to attack the trishaw transporting the  three officers on night patrol duty and that a shot fired by a PC to  scare away the elephant had caused its death.   

Meanwhile, Habarana Division ASP (Assistant Superintend of  Police) Sudath Asmadala said a formal investigation of the incident was  being held.