Dharna in Banda after elephant Omkar attacked and beaten near Goa border

Mapusa: Following reports that the stray elephant Omkar is being subjected to cruelty in the border villages of Goa and Maharashtra, a citizens group in Banda, Maharashtra, has begun a dharna demanding police action against the miscreants and speedy relocation of the elephant.‘Protect Elephant’, a citizens group comprising at least 200 people, swung into action after videos of the elephant being attacked with ‘sutli bombs’ (firecrackers) while bathing in the Tiracol-Tulsan riverbed, surfaced online. This attack followed earlier reports and videos of Omkar being aggressively chased away and beaten with sticks by villagers.“The act of hurting the animal is condemnable. We will make a representation to the forest department,” Sham Dhuri, a social activist from Banda, said.Omkar, after having separated from his herd, wandered in parts of Sindhudurg, some time last month, crossed into Goa, causing significant damage to crops in some villages of Pernem.Ganesh Gawas, a Banda local who is part of the protest, said those responsible for the “heart-wrenching” attack, be charged for cruelty to animals. “We will protest until the elephant is safely relocated, The cruelty must stop,” he said.