Elephant Lakshmi, who went missing in July, is in Delhi, claims caretaker’s family

59-year-old female elephant had been missing since July 6 and a first information report had been lodged against her caretaker Yusuf Ali and two others for fleeing with the animal from the Shakurpur police station area.

Two months after Delhi’s last elephant Lakshmi went missing, the family of the caretaker, who had allegedly mad off with the mammal, Monday said the elephant is in the city itself and that they have been hiding her in the forest area near the banks of the Yamuna at ITO to evade punitive action.

Lakshmi, the 59-year-old female elephant, has been missing since July 6. (HT FILE)

The 59-year-old female elephant had been missing since July 6 and a first information report had been lodged against her caretaker Yusuf Ali and two others for fleeing with the animal from the Shakurpur police station area.

“Though we have not been able get in touch with my father, we know he is hiding in the forested area near the Yamuna with Lakshmi. He feeds her every day. We too had got attached to Lashmi during all these years and don’t want the police or the forest department to take it away, as we take good care of her,” said Shajib, Ali’s younger son.

He added that they had filed a contempt plea in the court and have also applied for anticipatory bail.

“Ali has not come home since because he has been in the forest with the elephant,” another family member said.

According to a senior police officer, Ali, his elder son Shakir and Saddam, the mahout, have been at large since July 6.