A wildlife officer has ‘mistakenly’ shot a female elephant that had participated in the annual Esala Perahera of Mahiyanganaya Rajamaha Viharaya.
The incident has taken place at around 3:30 a.m. today (Sept. 30).
Following the procession, the female elephant had been on chains on the banks of the Mahaweli River. The wildlife officer had shot ‘Sita’ after mistaking it for a wild elephant.
The injured elephant is currently being treated by a veterinary surgeon of the Wildlife Conservation Department.
In a statement issued in this regard, Director General of the Wildlife Conservation Department, M.G.C. Sooriyabandara clarified that one of its officers had mistakenly fired rubber bullets at the female elephant ‘Sita’ while trying to scare off the wild elephants in the vicinity.
According to reports, the wildlife officer in question has been placed under arrest by the Mahiyanganaya Police after being notified by the Basnayake Nilame of Sri Sumana Saman Dewalaya.
