Elephant ‘Laden’ renamed ‘Krishna’, to be domesticated

The 25-year-old male elephant, which had killed five persons in separate incidents on October 29 in Goalpara district, was tranquilised and captured inside Kanyakuchi reserve forest on Monday.

Published on: Nov 14, 2019, 03:36:07 IST

Hindustan Times, Guwahati | By Utpal Parashar

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A wild elephant in Assam nicknamed Laden, who was captured on Monday has been renamed as Krishna, and will now be domesticated and trained.

Following its capture on Monday, the pachyderm was kept at Kanyakuchi reserve for one night. Image used for representational purpose only. (AP file photo)

The 25-year-old male elephant, which had killed five persons in separate incidents on October 29 in Goalpara district, was tranquilised and captured inside Kanyakuchi reserve forest on Monday.

While officials initially said that it would be released in Lumding reserve forest nearly 300 km away, they now say that ‘Krishna’ will be first treated for its wounds and trained by a group of larger domesticated elephants. “Right now the elephant is being treated for injuries at Orang National Park. We are not in favour of releasing the elephant in this state. Once it recovers and get used to human interaction, efforts will be undertaken to train it,” said Chief Wildlife Warden Mahendra Kumar Yadav. While officials are tight-lipped, protests by local residents near Lumding reserve forest and the Orang national park over fears that the pachyderm could target human habitations again, have led to change of plans.

Following its capture on Monday, the pachyderm was kept at Kanyakuchi reserve for one night. On Tuesday, it was placed on the back of a truck using a crane and transported to Orang, around 200 km away. “In Assam, usually smaller elephants are trained, but since this elephant is big, much bigger elephants would be used to train it,” said Rathin Barman, joint director of Wildlife Trust of India.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Utpal Parashar
A seasoned senior journalist, I have nearly three decades of experience across print, digital, and online platforms, covering political transitions, insurgencies, environmental issues, and development stories in India and Nepal. I am skilled in breaking news, leading editorial teams and launch of newspaper editions. I am adept at leveraging digital trends and social media to expand global reach, with a strong ethical foundation and a reputation for impactful journalism. An alumnus of Asian College of Journalism, I joined Hindustan Times in New Delhi as a trainee reporter in May 1997. Over the years, I have been posted in Dehradun, Kathmandu (Nepal) and Guwahati. Currently, as Senior Assistant Editor at Hindustan Times, I lead a team reporting on India’s northeastern states. My work involves in-depth analysis, and engaging multimedia storytelling across formats, including text, photo, video, and interactive content. I am skilled in producing timely, shareable content, leveraging digital platforms and social media to engage global audiences. Throughout my career with the Hindustan Times, I have led diverse editorial teams, designed capacity-building activities, and supported reporters in developing strong story ideas, ethical reporting practices, digital skills, and fact-checking techniques. As Senior Assistant Editor for Northeast India, I have been responsible for guiding correspondents through complex political, humanitarian, and community-level stories using multimedia formats. Earlier, as Foreign Correspondent in Nepal, I produced extensive reporting during Nepal’s democratic transition and the 2015 earthquake and its aftermath.Read More

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