Nedungamuwe Tusker died in a garbage dump due to negligence
The reason for the death of the majestic tusker Nedungamuwe Raja was pure negligence, said the Chief Prelate of the Southern Sangha, Dr. Omalpe Sobhitha Thera.
He said that despite it being portrayed to the world that the animal was being well looked after, when we see the manner in which the tusker was dead in a garbage dump, it is evident how well the animal had been looked after.
Ven. Omalpe Sobhitha Thera further said, “When the tusker died, not even a cloth was available to cover his body. The tusker was ailing and there was no roof above him to protect him from the elements. When you look at the person who was supposedly his caretaker, one can imagine how well he would have looked after the animal.
This tusker was a valuable treasure, but his generation ends with his demise. It is a crime to restrain such majestic animals and even domesticate them. Moreover, it is also a crime to keep poking them and taking them on processions such as Peraheras. The animal does not understand faith.
It is chained and restrained by threatening it with the knife and hook (Henduwa). Moreover, the custodians of these elephants only used them to earn money.
The elephant that made a national treasure was finally seen being taken away like a pile of dirt. Stuffing the elephant’s skin and preserving it is more disrespectful than respecting the animal,” Omalpe Sobhitha Thera added.