Serial killer elephant responsible for deaths of 27 people shot dead in India
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Serial killer elephant shot dead in India
On the loose for two years, 'Osama' responsible for deaths of 27 people
GUWAHATI, India - An elephant named “Osama bin Laden” that has killed 27 people in northeast India, has been shot dead, triggering protests by conservationists who say forestry officials had probably shot the wrong animal.
The 10-feet tall male elephant had been terrorizing villagers in Assam state for the past two years, destroying hundreds of homes and trampling scores of people -- prompting locals to name him after the elusive al-Qaida leader.
The animal was accused of killing 14 people in the past month.
A forestry official said on Sunday “Osama” had been shot dead on Saturday in a tea plantation on the outskirts of Behali town, about 90 miles north of Guwahati, Assam’s main city.
“The elephant was killed after villagers identified him,” a senior forestry official said, adding the animal could be identified because it had no tusks.
Despite efforts by local authorities to hunt him down, “Osama” had evaded them moving from place to place, hiding in forests and tea estates in the northern parts of Assam.
The hunt for “Osama”, believed to have been between 45 and 50 years old, came to a climax last week when Assam’s local assembly ordered a shoot-to-kill directive to forestry officials and a deadline to hunt the beast down by Dec. 31.
“The elephant has been killing people, destroying houses in villages in my constituency,” Ranjit Dutta, a MP from Behali. “He was not afraid of fire and even firecrackers.”
Fears of revenge
Conservationists have criticized the shooting, saying the elephant killed was not “Osama”, but a look-a-like.
“Probably this is not the same elephant they wanted to kill,” said Kushal Sharma, an elephant expert.
“The elephant was found in a different habitat more than 50 miles away from his usual place where he moves around.”
Activists said forest officials hurriedly buried the elephant without verifying the foot prints, dimensions and other identifying marks that were the same as “Osama’s”.
“They have killed an innocent elephant. It is an eye wash and shame on the part of the forest officials in Assam,” Soumyadeep Dutta, a wildlife conservationist said.
Elephants are a protected and endangered species in India.
Animal rights activists fear there will now be serious repercussions, with the herd of elephants to which “Osama” belonged likely taking revenge and destroying more villages and people in the area.
On Saturday night, several thatched houses were destroyed by a group of elephants in the same area where “Osama” was killed.
India has nearly half of the world’s 60,000 Asian elephants, with around 5,000 in Assam, according to a census conducted in 2002.
But conservationists say the pachyderm population has fallen rapidly in recent years because of loss of habitat as a result of human encroachment into forest areas, leading to human-elephant conflicts.
On the loose for two years, 'Osama' responsible for deaths of 27 people
GUWAHATI, India - An elephant named “Osama bin Laden” that has killed 27 people in northeast India, has been shot dead, triggering protests by conservationists who say forestry officials had probably shot the wrong animal.
The 10-feet tall male elephant had been terrorizing villagers in Assam state for the past two years, destroying hundreds of homes and trampling scores of people -- prompting locals to name him after the elusive al-Qaida leader.
The animal was accused of killing 14 people in the past month.
A forestry official said on Sunday “Osama” had been shot dead on Saturday in a tea plantation on the outskirts of Behali town, about 90 miles north of Guwahati, Assam’s main city.
“The elephant was killed after villagers identified him,” a senior forestry official said, adding the animal could be identified because it had no tusks.
Despite efforts by local authorities to hunt him down, “Osama” had evaded them moving from place to place, hiding in forests and tea estates in the northern parts of Assam.
The hunt for “Osama”, believed to have been between 45 and 50 years old, came to a climax last week when Assam’s local assembly ordered a shoot-to-kill directive to forestry officials and a deadline to hunt the beast down by Dec. 31.
“The elephant has been killing people, destroying houses in villages in my constituency,” Ranjit Dutta, a MP from Behali. “He was not afraid of fire and even firecrackers.”
Fears of revenge
Conservationists have criticized the shooting, saying the elephant killed was not “Osama”, but a look-a-like.
“Probably this is not the same elephant they wanted to kill,” said Kushal Sharma, an elephant expert.
“The elephant was found in a different habitat more than 50 miles away from his usual place where he moves around.”
Activists said forest officials hurriedly buried the elephant without verifying the foot prints, dimensions and other identifying marks that were the same as “Osama’s”.
“They have killed an innocent elephant. It is an eye wash and shame on the part of the forest officials in Assam,” Soumyadeep Dutta, a wildlife conservationist said.
Elephants are a protected and endangered species in India.
Animal rights activists fear there will now be serious repercussions, with the herd of elephants to which “Osama” belonged likely taking revenge and destroying more villages and people in the area.
On Saturday night, several thatched houses were destroyed by a group of elephants in the same area where “Osama” was killed.
India has nearly half of the world’s 60,000 Asian elephants, with around 5,000 in Assam, according to a census conducted in 2002.
But conservationists say the pachyderm population has fallen rapidly in recent years because of loss of habitat as a result of human encroachment into forest areas, leading to human-elephant conflicts.
"Where there is sacrifice there is someone collecting the sacrificial offerings."-- Ayn Rand
"Some of my friends sit around every evening and they worry about the times ahead,
But everybody else is overwhelmed by indifference and the promise of an early bed..."-- Elvis Costello
"Some of my friends sit around every evening and they worry about the times ahead,
But everybody else is overwhelmed by indifference and the promise of an early bed..."-- Elvis Costello
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old music: http://www.myspace.com/slowloader
I read that as an elephant shooting people lol
http://www.myspace.com/illuminatta
Rhinocerous Surprise '08!!!
yeah, i thought this was a joke. still kinda do.
A herd of elephants has gained revenge on the township of Guwahati after their spirtual leader Mohammad Ai Fiyad (dubbed Osama bin Laden) was gunned down last week. The notorious Ai Fiyad was allegedly responsible for the deaths of 27 innocent people as it went on a rampage destorying property and trampling on local villagers. His followers have proven that elephants indeed do not forget and have conducted a mass attack against the township resulting in the deaths of 102 innocents. Spokesman for the elephants, local tree hugger Sanjeev Singh has said that the elephants are the orignal inhabiants of the land and are perfectly intitled to wage jihad against the infididels. We spoke to one of the elephants "Dumbo" who said " We are raging war in the name of Allah, and will gain revenge on the township of Guwahati and all who refuse to admit that Allah is God and that Mohammad is his prophet." U.S President George Bush is considering sending a CIA operative in to destroy the herd but resources are stretched after the debacle in Iraq.
Reuters 2006
Have we lost our way tonight?
Have we lost our hope to sorrow?
Feels like were all alone
Running further from what’s right
And there are no more heroes to follow
So what are we becoming?
Where did we go wrong?
http://www.myspace.com/illuminatta
Rhinocerous Surprise '08!!!
Have we lost our way tonight?
Have we lost our hope to sorrow?
Feels like were all alone
Running further from what’s right
And there are no more heroes to follow
So what are we becoming?
Where did we go wrong?