Kerala HC Seeks Clarification On Elephant Booking & Transport Procedure Followed By Guruvayoor Devaswom For Temple Festivals After Death Of 3 Elderly Persons

The Court was considering the death of three elderly persons on February 13, 2025 during the temple festival in Manakkulangara Temple near Koyilandy in Kozhikode district, caused by two elephants becoming violent due to the burning of firecrackers. The two elephants, named, Gokul and Peethambaran, that became violent belonged to Guruvayoor Devaswom and were transported from Punnathur Anakotta at Guruvayoor to Koyilandy for the temple festival.

The Division Bench of Justice Anil K.Narendran and Justice Muralee Krishna S. observed Elephants are frequently taken out to distant places for Temple festivals. The Court thus directed to ensure that Elephants are adequately fed when taken out from Punnathur Anakotta to other places.

Court stated, “Having considered the materials on record and also the submissions made at the Bar, we deem it appropriate to direct the additional 13th respondent Deputy Administrator (Livestock) to file a detailed affidavit explaining the procedures being followed in Guruvayur Devaswom for booking and transporting elephants from Punnathur Aanakkotta in connection with temple festivals in other temples, and also to ensure that the elephants are provided with the required quantity of feed, as per the statutory requirements, when they are outside Punnathur Aanakkotta.”

The present writ petition was filed in 2023 seeking direction to the Guruvayoor Devaswom to adhere with the statutory requirements under the Kerala Captive Elephants (Management and Maintenance) Rules and the guidelines issued by the Ministry of Environment and Forest for care and management of captive elephants at Guruvayur Devaswom, which are kept in Punnathur Anakkotta.

The Court noted that the distance from Punnathur Anakotta at Guruvayoor to Koyilandy is about 120 kms and that the lorries carrying the Elephants were driven at a speed of 30-35 kms.

The Court on perusing the feeding register, transportation register and other statutory registers of Elephants found that no entries were made in it regarding their transportation to Koyilandy.

The Court also directed the Veterinary Surgeon of the Guruvayur Devaswom to file report regarding the injuries sustained by the Elephant, named, Gokul in the stampede caused at the Temple festival.

The matter has been posted to February 27 for further consideration. 

Case Title: Sangita Iyer v Guruvayoor Devaswom Represented By Its Secretary

Case No: WP(C) NO. 16514 OF 2023

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