Minister calls for internal investigation into shooting at Perahera elephant

Acting Minister of Defence Pramitha Bandara Tennakoon has called for an impartial inquiry into the incident of shooting at the Perahera elephant ‘Sita’ by a Civil Security Department (CSD) personnel after the Mahiyangana Rajamaha Vihara Perahera, last morning (Sep 30).

The Civil Security Department (CSD) has commenced an internal disciplinary investigation on this incident, however, Acting Minister of Defence has ordered relevant authorities to conduct an internal investigation in this regard.

Accordingly, disciplinary action will be taken against the CSD personnel for misconduct if he was found to have committed any disciplinary offense while on duty, the Ministry of Defence said in a statement.

It was reported that following the procession, the female elephant had been tied to a tree on the banks of the Mahaweli River, where the officer in question had shot ‘Sita’ after mistaking it for a wild elephant that had crossed the river, at around 3.30 a.m. last morning.

The mahout, who said he was having breakfast when the incident happened, accused the officer of shooting the elephant despite people telling him that ‘Sita’ was not a wild elephant.

The injured 48-year-old elephant was later treated by veterinary surgeons of the Wildlife Conservation Department.

In a statement, the Director General of the Wildlife Conservation Department, M.G.C. Sooriyabandara had clarified that one of the wildlife officers at the site had mistakenly fired rubber bullets at the female elephant ‘Sita’ while trying to scare off the wild elephants in the vicinity.

As elephants from different parts of the country participate in the annual Mahiyangana Perahera, the chief prelate of the Mahiyangana temple has made a request to the Wildlife Department to establish a wildlife team in the temple to drive out wild elephants as there is frequent roaming of these animals in the area.

In response to the request, a team of Wildlife Department officers along with one Civil Security Department (CSD) personnel had been entrusted to drive away the wild elephants.