The animal welfare community has expressed deep anguish after Suman, a young female elephant formerly associated with Nataraj Circus, collapsed and died in Siwan, Bihar. Activists say the death was entirely avoidable and a direct consequence of prolonged non-compliance with multiple orders issued by the Calcutta High Court. According to reports, video footage showed Suman in visibly poor health while being used for rented commercial activities shortly before her collapse.
Suman was one of three elephants at the centre of a long-running legal battle over their transfer from West Bengal to Bihar. For nearly eight years, the Kolkata-based CAPE Foundation has petitioned the courts to secure the rescue and lawful rehabilitation of the animals, alleging their illegal transfer and ongoing commercial exploitation. During that period, the Calcutta High Court issued directions to seize the elephants and return them to the custody of the West Bengal Forest Department under statutory protections for captive wildlife.
Despite those orders, welfare groups say the elephants allegedly remained under private control and in commercial circulation. Suman’s death reportedly came while contempt proceedings were pending for the failure to implement earlier court directives, raising fresh concerns about enforcement and accountability. Animal advocates have pointed to an apparent lack of basic veterinary care, inadequate husbandry and poor on-ground decision-making as immediate causes that went unaddressed.
Groups warn that the remaining two elephants, Bhola and Basanti, remain vulnerable amid continued litigation, administrative delays and apparent inter-state inaction. They are calling on the governments of West Bengal and Bihar to coordinate immediately to secure the animals, halt any commercial use, and transfer them to a recognised rehabilitation facility for independent veterinary evaluation and long-term welfare planning.
Activists argue Suman’s death is not only a tragedy of animal welfare but also a test of the rule of law and the effectiveness of judicial oversight. They urge that court orders intended to protect vulnerable animals be implemented faithfully and without further delay to prevent more irreversible harm. Expressing profound grief, the animal protection community has pressed authorities to act swiftly and lawfully so the fate suffered by Suman is not repeated.
Original Source: https://nenews.in/politics/failure-to-enforce-court-orders-leads-to-death-of-young-elephant-suman/42722/
Category: Politics,Animal welfare community,Bihar,Calcutta HC,Death,Elephant,Legal proceedings
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Publish Date: 2026-02-22 11:37:00
