Ailing Elephant, Allowed To Be Euthanized, Dies Naturally

INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
died a natural death Saturday, days after the Madras High Court allowed euthanasia if it would be cruel to keep the animal alive.The female
elephant of Sri Sugavaneswarar temple was suffering for a long time due to a serious painful disease in her left foreleg and remained lying
on the floor, resulting in development of sores.Rajeswari's end came Saturday even as as a team of veterinarians were reviewing its
condition as per the orders of the high court, temple officials said.It would be buried with temple honours, they added.Passing orders on a
PIL by an animal lover, a bench of Chief Justice Indira Banerjee and Justice Abdul Quddhose had on April 16 directed a veterinarian to
administer euthanasia to the elephant if he finds that it would be cruel to keep the animal alive.Muralidharan had sought an order to
euthanize the elephant, saying its condition cannot be cured and keeping it alive in this condition was a violation of section 13 (3) of the