Star of Mysore, India
Oct 9 2004
COURT CLEARS JUMBO’S FLIGHT, MAHOUT GETS PASSPORT
Zoo story
Mysore, Oct. 9 (BRS)- The gift elephant Komala is all set to travel
to Armenia on October 14. That big news may be overshadowed by the
Court’s permission to the mahout accused in a criminal case to
accompany Komala to Armenia.
The surprise packet by the Third Judicial Magistrate First Class
enables Nagaraju, the mahout in the Mysore Zoo to travel to Armenia
along with Komala.
The Mysore Zoo made the necessary preparations for the jumbo’s
journey abroad, following the announcement by President Dr. A.P.J.
Abdul Kalam about gifting an elephant from India to Armenia.
Dropped
One of the mahouts in the Mysore Zoo, Mahadeva, who was to accompany
Komala to Armenia was to be dropped because of his alleged
involvement in the Mysore Zoo twin death of elephants case. Fortune
then smiled on Nagaraju, another mahout in the Mysore Zoo.
Mr. Manoj Kumar, the Zoo Director addressed a letter to Mr. Bipin
Gopalakrishna Police Commissioner, seeking permission to send
Nagaraju to Armenia, while he is facing charges in a criminal case of
taking part in a strike of employees.
Court
However, the Police Commissioner, responding to the letter suggested
to the Director to approach the court because there was no provision
in the Police Department to give permission to an accused.
In the meantime, Nagaraju, the Zoo mahout consulted advocates
Venugopal and Nagaraj. Appearing for his client Nagaraju, in the
court of the Third Judicial Magistrate First Class here, advocate Mr.
Venugopal informed the Court that the President of India had gifted
an elephant to Armenia.
Venugopal further argued that elaborate preparation for sending the
elephant Komala were in final stages, involving lakhs of rupees and
if permission was not granted to the mahout to accompany the elephant
to Armenia, not only these would be a huge loss of money but also it
would be the country’s prestige.
Permission
After hearing the argument, the judge permitted the mahout Nagaraju
to travel to Armenia and be with Komala from Oct. 14 to Dec. 14.
Advocates Mr. Venugopal and Nagaraj appeared for the mahout Nagaraju.