Today, the court ordered the release of the wildlife officer who shot a tamed female elephant named ‘Sitha,’ brought to participate in the Mahiyangana Esala Perahera, on a bail of one lakh rupees. The incident occurred when a civil security officer attached to the Mapakadewwa Wildlife Office shot the elephant, mistakenly thinking she was a wild elephant. The officer was deployed under a program aimed at preventing potential harm from elephants to the people attending the procession.
‘Sitha,’ the 47-year-old elephant, was shot with rubber bullets. She is currently undergoing treatment, and efforts are underway to ensure her recovery.