Elephant 'Joymala' Dies In Assam; Owner Accuses Forest Dept of Negligence

‘Joymala’, an elephant once entrusted to the Sonitpur West Forest Division in Assam, has mysteriously died on Tuesday night and has become a subject of controversy.

The death has raised suspicions, with the elephant's owner accusing the forest officials of foul play. While the forest department claims Joymala died due to illness, the owner disputes this, alleging negligence and even murder.

It is important to note that this ‘Joymala’ is a different elephant from the one that was transferred to Tamil Nadu from Assam, which gained national attention in 2022 due to reports of inhumane treatment by its mahout.

Now coming back to the story, the Sonitpur Forest Division had brought in Joymala, a young female elephant, from the Nameri forest area in 2019. The elephant had been causing damage to nearby crops, and as a result, it was considered a threat to the local community. Instead of being rehabilitated, the department used Joymala as part of their efforts to curb the disturbances caused by wild elephants in the district. Though the elephant was officially named "Joymala", her true name, according to records, was "Suryamala."

Recently, Joymala had been suffering from a liver condition, and the forest department reported her death on December 17, claiming that she passed away due to illness. However, Govinda Bahadur Chetri, the elephant’s rightful owner, disputes this narrative.

Chetri, a resident of Sonitpur's Chatiya, believes that the elephant was killed by Nirpendra Nath Kalita, the West Sonitpur Forest Officer, and has accused him of murder. According to Chetri, the forest department failed to provide adequate food and medical treatment for Joymala, which contributed to her death. Moreover, after her death, Chetri was not informed and was denied the chance to pay his respects to the elephant.

Chetri’s son, Shyam Chetri, claims that the elephant's mistreatment by the forest department, including inadequate food and medical attention, ultimately led to her demise. He also alleges that the forest officer, Kalita, subjected their family to harassment, further compounding their grief.

The controversy escalated after a letter dated November 20, signed by the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Sandeep Kumar, authorized the release of Joymala. However, despite this order, Kalita allegedly failed to comply and kept the elephant under his care under suspicious circumstances.

The Chetri family has now called for the government to take legal action against the forest officials involved. They have requested that those responsible for Joymala's death, as well as others like her, be held accountable for their actions. They have urged both the Forest Minister as well as Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma to intervene and ensure that justice is served.

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