India News | With Help of Army Engineers, 'Moti' Lifted Using Slings; Condition Still Critical
Get latest articles and stories on India at LatestLY. Elephant 'Moti' who had collapsed two weeks ago due to weakness and injures in Uttarakhand, was lifted using slings on Tuesday with the help of army engineers, but his condition still remains critical, sources said.
New Delhi, Feb 7 (PTI) Elephant 'Moti' who had collapsed two weeks ago due to weakness and injures in Uttarakhand, was lifted using slings on Tuesday with the help of army engineers, but his condition still remains critical, sources said.
Personnel from the army's Bengal Sappers and members of a wildlife NGO have joined hands to rescue the 35-year-old pachyderm, while many people have taken to social media to pray for the suffering animal.
The team from the Bengal Sappers from Roorkee had reached the spot on Monday morning. The Wildlife SOS veterinary team and the army team are working together to get relief for 'Moti.
"Indian Army engineers using slings in an innovative manner lifted 'Moti' safely. The NGO medical team has started treatment on priority to save 'Moti' whose condition remains critical," an Army source said, the NGO medical team has started treatment on priority to save 'Moti'.
"The men of the Bengal Sappers have helped erect a 'kraal' (enclosure) structure for him," a spokesperson of the NGO had said on Monday, adding "we are now looking at erecting a similar kraal which will get 'Moti' up and give him an outside chance, if at all".
On Monday, the structure was erected and an attempt was made to make the elephant stand. However, 'Moti' was not able to take any load on his feet and not moving its body at all, the sources said.
The plan was to make an underbelly slung, however, a doctor had advised that the organs of the elephant is in a "compromised state" and he will not be able to withstand the pressure of the under slung, they said.
The pachyderm had collapsed about two weeks ago and his condition is "still critical," the NGO had said.
"The elephant was found in a critical condition and had collapsed and was unable to stand. Malnourished and deprived of veterinary attention, his feet, especially the footpads, had worn off and he was on the verge of death," according to a statement issued by Wildlife SOS on Monday.
A team of the NGO has been looking after the animal since then, a spokesperson of the non-government organisation had said.
"An author with close links with the armed forces helped us and reached out to former Army chief Gen (retd) V K Singh. With his aid, we got connected with the army," the spokesperson said.
(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)