Scans reveal several rubber bullet parts inside left leg of Seetha

By Ifham Nizam

The Wildlife Conservation Department said that following thermal scans, they had found several rubber bullet parts lodged in the left front leg of Seetha, the tame female tusker, which suffered gunshot injuries while being chained, after parading the streets as part of the Mahiyanganaya Raja Maha Viharaya Randoli Perahera on Saturday.

According to Wildlife Conservation Department Health Director Tharaka Prasad, the injured animal underwent several scanning tests, including three thermal imaging scans. Tests revealed that bullet parts were found less than 2 cm deep under the skin.

The elephant is still under observation.

The Department says that elephant Seetha was accidentally shot eight times by a member of the Civil Defence Department after mistaking it for a wild elephant.

According investigations, the suspect wildlife officer has said that the elephant was shot at with rubber bullets with the aim of chasing it away for the safety of the people who had gathered to view the Perahera.