The Assam government has taken initiative to bring back the tortured elephant 'Joymala' from Tamil Nadu.

Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma will send a team from the Forest Department to Tamil Nadu on September 2- to bring back Elephant ‘Joymala’ and 8-other elephants.

A total of 9-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.

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This is following the decision of the Assam Government to move to court against the Tamil Nadu Government.

Tamil Nadu Government is not cooperating with Assam Government in sending back the elephants.

According to a report by ‘The Indian Express’, Assam’s Principal Chief Conservator & Chief Wildlife Warden, MK Yadava said that ‘Joymala’ couldn’t be brought back as the Tamil Nadu Government did not ‘cooperate’.

This year in May or June, the Tamil Nadu Government reportedly issued a notice to take back ‘Joymala’. However, the elephant is in possession of a temple and not their Forest Department.

As such, if Assam Government tries to bring back ‘Joymala’, it will be a technical case of robbery since the elephant isn’t in the possession of the Forest Department of the Tamil Nadu Government.

Interestingly, Tamil Nadu Government manages the trust of the temple where ‘Joymala’ has been illegally detained. The Assam Government was requested to bear all expenses.

MK Yadava said, “We asked them to provide their bank details and we will transfer ₹5-Lakh. We will subsequently make payment for all the expenses. But the elephant hasn’t been released despite the order.”

PETA India recently released videos of how ‘Joymala’ has been subjected to torture by her mahout inside the temple. In 2021, she was also subjected to torture.