Incredible sight of the elephant that cried:
Raju was held in chains, beaten and abused
for fifty years and on the day he was released tears
rolled down his face
- Raju was held in chains for more than 50 years after being poached in India
- The animal bled from spiked shackles and lived on hand-outs from tourists
- Team from North London charity Wildlife SOS travelled to India to free animal
- Raju cried tears of joy after being freed from suffering on American Independence Day
- Five-and-a-half tonne animal driven 350 miles away to safe conservation area
PUBLISHED: 23:01 GMT, 6 July 2014 | UPDATED: 03:35 GMT, 7 July 2014
These incredible pictures show the moment an elephant who was held in chains and beaten and
abused for fifty years cried as he was released to freedom.
abused for fifty years cried as he was released to freedom.
Raju the elephant was left bleeding from spiked shackles and living on hand-outs from passing
tourists after he was captured and tied up by his 'owner'.
tourists after he was captured and tied up by his 'owner'.
But, after 50 years of torture, the animal cried tears of relief after he was rescued by a wildlife charity in a
daring midnight operation – fittingly on American Independence Day.
daring midnight operation – fittingly on American Independence Day.
+14Raju the elephant was said to cry tears of joy as he was released from spiked shackles in
the Uttar Pradesh area of India after fifty years of torture
the Uttar Pradesh area of India after fifty years of torture
+14North London-based charity Wildlife SOS stepped in to save Raju after learning of his plight in India
North London-based charity Wildlife SOS stepped in to save Raju from dying in his bonds
after learning of his plight in India.
after learning of his plight in India.
Every day, the majestic animal was forced to hold out his trunk and beg for a few coins from
passers-by – surviving only on plastic and paper for food.
passers-by – surviving only on plastic and paper for food.
However, last week, a 10-strong team of vets and wildlife experts from the charity were joined by
20 forestry department officers and six policemen to seize Raju from his suffering in the Uttar Pradesh area of India.
20 forestry department officers and six policemen to seize Raju from his suffering in the Uttar Pradesh area of India.
The mission took place under the cover of darkness, as fewer people would be around for the dangerous
rescue and the animal could be protected from the searing heat of the sun.
rescue and the animal could be protected from the searing heat of the sun.
Pooja Binepal, the charity's UK spokesman, described the rescue as 'incredibly emotional' for the team.
She said: 'Raju has spent the past 50 years living a pitiful existence in chains 24 hours a day, an act of intolerable cruelty.
Every day, the majestic animal was forced to hold out his trunk and beg for coins
from passers-by - surviving only on plastic and paper for food
from passers-by - surviving only on plastic and paper for food
The elephant was left bleeding from spiked shackles and living on hand-outs from
passing tourists after he was captured by his 'owner'
passing tourists after he was captured by his 'owner'
Wildlife SOS vet Dr Yaduraj Khadpekar tries to free Raju from the chains which he was kept in for 50 years
Wildlife SOS founder Kartick Satyanarayan said: 'The chains around his legs had spikes which
were cutting into his flesh - and each time he moved puss would ooze out of wounds.
Pain and brutality were all he knew'
were cutting into his flesh - and each time he moved puss would ooze out of wounds.
Pain and brutality were all he knew'
'The team were astounded to see tears roll down his face during the rescue. It was so incredibly
emotional for all of us. We knew in our hearts he realised he was being freed.
emotional for all of us. We knew in our hearts he realised he was being freed.
'Elephants are not only majestic, but they are highly intelligent animals, who have been proven to
have feelings of grief, so we can only imagine what torture half a century has been like for him.
have feelings of grief, so we can only imagine what torture half a century has been like for him.
'Until we stepped in he'd never known what it is like to walk free of his shackles – it's a truly pitiful case.
'But today he knows what freedom is and he will learn what kindness feels like and
what it's like to not suffer any more.'
what it's like to not suffer any more.'
The daring rescue came exactly a year to the day since the charity was alerted to Raju's plight by
the Uttar Pradesh Forest Department in India.
the Uttar Pradesh Forest Department in India.
A confiscation process went through the courts as Raju's owner did not have any legal documents for
his possession meaning the charity could rescue him from suffering.
his possession meaning the charity could rescue him from suffering.
It is not known exactly how Raju came into his plight, as little is known about his early years, but the
charity believes he was poached from his mother as a young calf.
charity believes he was poached from his mother as a young calf.
Once rescued, he was loaded into an open-top lorry, given additional sedation and
escorted 350 miles to the charity's Elephant Conservation and Care Centre at Mathura
escorted 350 miles to the charity's Elephant Conservation and Care Centre at Mathura
The daring rescue came exactly a year to the day since the charity was alerted to
Raju's plight by the Uttar Pradesh Forest Department in India
Raju's plight by the Uttar Pradesh Forest Department in India
The charity has now launched a campaign to raise £10,000 for Raju to help begin the start of his new life
Ms Binepal said: 'The poachers either slaughter the mother, or they drive the herd into
traps that are small enough only for the babies to fall into. The mother cries for her baby
for days after he's been stolen – it is a sickening trade.
traps that are small enough only for the babies to fall into. The mother cries for her baby
for days after he's been stolen – it is a sickening trade.
'The calves are then tied and beaten until they submit to their owners – their spirits are effectively broken.
'We discovered Raju's case was particularly tragic.
'He'd been poached as a calf and then he has been sold on and sold on. Incredibly we believe he has
had up to 27 owners – he's been treated as a commodity every two years of his life.
had up to 27 owners – he's been treated as a commodity every two years of his life.
'By the time we found him in July 2013 he was in a pathetic condition. He had no shelter at night, and
was being used as a prop to beg from dawn until dusk from tourists visiting the sites of India.
was being used as a prop to beg from dawn until dusk from tourists visiting the sites of India.
'He hasn't been fed properly and tourists started giving him sweet food items and because he was in a
state of hunger and exhaustion he began eating plastic and paper.
state of hunger and exhaustion he began eating plastic and paper.
'His nails are severely overgrown, he has abscesses and wounds because of the shackles and
continually walking on a tarmac road has led to his foot pad overgrowing.'
continually walking on a tarmac road has led to his foot pad overgrowing.'
Once the court order was finally issued, a team led by Wildlife SOS founder Kartick Satyanarayan
carried out two days of surveillance before launching the rescue.
carried out two days of surveillance before launching the rescue.
Pooja Binepal, the charity's UK spokesman, described the rescue as 'incredibly emotional' for the team
Raju, after his release, with reformed former mahout Sonu Ali who will care for him at the sanctuary
Over the weekend, Raju received emergency medical attention to his wounds as well as a bath and food
Mr Satyanarayan said: 'As we watched we quickly realised we had to act as quickly as possible as
his situation was so desperate and the cruelty so extreme so we decided to move the rescue forward by a day.
his situation was so desperate and the cruelty so extreme so we decided to move the rescue forward by a day.
'The chains around his legs had spikes which were cutting into his flesh – and each time he
moved puss would ooze out of wounds. Pain and brutality were all he knew.
moved puss would ooze out of wounds. Pain and brutality were all he knew.
'His cruel handler even tore out the hair from his tail to sell as good luck charms.
The exploitation and abuse just had to stop.'
The exploitation and abuse just had to stop.'
However, even on Thursday evening as the mercy mission began, Raju's owner tried to prevent his rescue.
Mr Satyanarayan said: 'He began to shout commands to terrify Raju – and try to provoke him.
'It created an incredibly dangerous situation as a bull elephant could snap a
human like a tooth pick if he becomes afraid or angry.
human like a tooth pick if he becomes afraid or angry.
'When that failed he then put a series of chains around his legs in an attempt to prevent us removing him –
so viciously tight that were cutting into his legs.
so viciously tight that were cutting into his legs.
'But we stood our ground and refused to back down – and as we did so,
tears began to roll down Raju's face. Some no doubt were due to the pain being
inflicted by the chains, but he also seemed to sense that change was coming.
It was as if he felt hope for the first time in a very long time.
tears began to roll down Raju's face. Some no doubt were due to the pain being
inflicted by the chains, but he also seemed to sense that change was coming.
It was as if he felt hope for the first time in a very long time.
'We knew it was now or never so we made the drastic decision to move his
transportation truck closer and then walk him 200 yards.
transportation truck closer and then walk him 200 yards.
'Every step would have been agony, but we had to take him, or he could have vanished forever.
We decided we'd remove the shackles once we'd got him to safety.'
We decided we'd remove the shackles once we'd got him to safety.'
Incredibly, Raju calmly complied, despite every step causing searing agony.
'It was as if he knew we wanted to help him,' Mr Satyanarayan said.
Once he was loaded, and given additional sedation, a convoy then escorted the five-and-a-half tonne
elephant, 350 miles on the back of an open-top lorry to the charity's Elephant Conservation and
Care Centre at Mathura.
elephant, 350 miles on the back of an open-top lorry to the charity's Elephant Conservation and
Care Centre at Mathura.
'Incredibly he stepped out of his truck and took his first step to freedom at one minute past
midnight on July 4th, which felt so extraordinarily fitting,' Mr Satyanarayan said.
midnight on July 4th, which felt so extraordinarily fitting,' Mr Satyanarayan said.
'The other elephants in the sanctuary awoke from their sleep as we pulled in and came to have a look –
it was an extraordinary moment.'
it was an extraordinary moment.'
Raju was then fed bananas, banana leaves, mango and bread and biscuits and given water before the
charity's head wildlife vet Dr Yaduraj Khadpekar began the painstaking process of removing his shackles.
charity's head wildlife vet Dr Yaduraj Khadpekar began the painstaking process of removing his shackles.
Mr Satyanarayan said: 'It took him and two handlers 45 minutes to liberate him as they'd been
wound round his legs to prevent their removal and to cause pain if anyone tried to take them off.
wound round his legs to prevent their removal and to cause pain if anyone tried to take them off.
'We all had tears in our eyes as the last rope which held the final spike was cut and
Raju took his first steps of freedom.
Raju took his first steps of freedom.
'The entire team were exhausted, but incredibly elated as he has suffered such unthinkable abuse and
trauma for so, so long. He'd been beaten so badly, his spirit is broken.'
trauma for so, so long. He'd been beaten so badly, his spirit is broken.'
The rescue took place under the cover of darkness, as fewer people would be
around for the dangerous rescue and the animal could be protected from the heat of the sun
around for the dangerous rescue and the animal could be protected from the heat of the sun
A 10-strong team of vets and wildlife experts from the charity were joined by 20
forestry department officers and six policemen to seize Raju from his
suffering in the Uttar Pradesh area
forestry department officers and six policemen to seize Raju from his
suffering in the Uttar Pradesh area
Over the weekend, Raju received emergency medical attention to his
wounds as well as a proper bath and food.
wounds as well as a proper bath and food.
'It will be a long rehabilitation process, but we will teach him that humans don't mean pain and
brutality, but it's going to take time,' Mr Satyanarayan said.
brutality, but it's going to take time,' Mr Satyanarayan said.
'When he is ready he will initially join two companion elephants called Rajesh and
Bhola, who once also suffered unthinkable cruelty.
Bhola, who once also suffered unthinkable cruelty.
'They've both been rehabilitated and once he settles he will learn how to live again by
following their example, before he joins the rest of the elephants –
including five flirtatious females to live out his days.
following their example, before he joins the rest of the elephants –
including five flirtatious females to live out his days.
'But for the moment he's tasting freedom for the first time in his life and he'll spend the rest of
his life in a safe compound living out his days in dignity, free from suffering and pain.'
his life in a safe compound living out his days in dignity, free from suffering and pain.'
The charity has now launched a campaign to raise £10,000 to help Raju begin the start
of his new life in a new enclosure which will allow him to roam with his adoptive family.
of his new life in a new enclosure which will allow him to roam with his adoptive family.
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Posted by: Zehera Kassam <zeherakassam@gmail.com>
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