A viral video showing a wild female elephant being set on fire by villagers in the Jhargram district of West Bengal has ignited outrage on social media. The elephant, believed by some netizens to be pregnant, is seen in the video writhing in pain after being attacked with flaming iron rods. The video ends with the elephant collapsing from its burns on the road.
PTI said Forest Minister Birbaha Hansda was unavailable for comment, but a senior forest official said, "We are aware of the incident and have seen the video. We are investigating the matter."
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Director Tathagata Mukherjee, known for his film 'Pariah' about the abuse of street dogs, shared the video on Facebook, stating, "In the forest minister's constituency, a pregnant elephant has been killed by a private hula party (local civilians tasked with managing wild elephants). Everyone remains silent."
Hula Parties' Methods To Drive Elephants Away
Hula parties consist of teams of people who use methods like beating drums to drive elephants away. According to The Wire, members of these Hula parties allegedly use sharp iron rods set on fire — called 'mashals' — against the elephants.
A 2018 Supreme Court order prohibits the use of 'fireballs' on elephants, but conservationists point out that mashals do not technically qualify as fireballs, creating a legal loophole. The Wire report also mentioned that the formation of Hula parties has turned into a "racket", as the forest department hires them through a tendering process.
Actor Srilekha Mitra also voiced her distress on Facebook, questioning, "Are we heading towards destruction? I can't bear such violence and aggression towards animals."