The Assam Government has moved the Gauhati High Court seeking a directive to bring back the tortured pachyderm 'Joymala' from Tamil Nadu.

The move comes after the Tamil Nadu forest department did not respond to Assam Government’s request to help bring back the elephant.

Assam’s Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Chief Wildlife Warden, M.K. Yadava said that the state government was awaiting the court’s directive on the issue.

“The team is currently in Chennai. In the meantime, the Additional Chief Secretary of Tamil Nadu’s Forest Department has sent a letter to our Chief Secretary. We have not been able to ascertain any facts from them so far, but they have assured us that the elephant was doing fine,” Mr Yadava said.

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India recently released videos of how ‘Joymala’ was subjected to torture by her mahout inside the Krishnan Kovil temple.

Following this, the Assam government had sent a four-member team of forest and police officials to Tamil Nadu on September 2 for inspecting the condition of the elephant and initiating the process of bringing her back.

It may be mentioned that nine elephants have been illegally kept in Tamil Nadu. These elephants were leased out from Assam in 2008 in the name of temple visits, but have been illegally kept since then.