Protests mark Arundhati146;s burial

On Wednesday morning, the Forest Department staff used a JCB machine to dig a grave for the elephant. Four veterinary doctors 8212; three from the Government Veterinary Hospital in Hardwar and one from the Wildlife Trust of India 8212; were called in to conduct a post-mortem examination on the elephant. Arundhati was then buried in the pit.

Arundhati had suffered multiple fractures in the right leg after getting caught in a swamp on September 5, following which her condition started deteriorating. Veterinary doctors advised mercy killing for the animal and officials had approved the order. However, the mercy killing had to be put off following widespread protests by locals and animal lovers.

8220;We have buried Arundhati. We propose to raise a platform in her memory at the burial site. The post-mortem report result will take a while,8221; Director of Rajaji National Park G S Pandey, who was present at the site, told The Indian Express on Wednesday.