How Heartbroken Twitter Mourned Elephant That Ate Cracker-Filled Fruit

The heartbreaking death of a pregnant elephant in Kerala has sparked huge outrage on Twitter. The elephant died after eating a pineapple stuffed with crackers, allegedly placed by some locals. The wild elephant had left the forests of Silent Valley in Palakkad district, wandering into a nearby village in search of food where she ate the pineapple. The fruit exploded in her mouth and left her in searing pain as she walked around the village for days, unable to eat anything because of her injuries. She eventually died standing in a river. 

The incident has sent shock waves through social media, with thousands of people calling for strong action against the perpetrators. On Twitter, several people also shared sketches and illustrations as a way to apologise for the heinous act of animal cruelty. 

"Literacy rate doesn't reflect education," wrote one Twitter user while sharing an illustration by Aveek Ray.

Literacy rate doesn't reflect education. #Elephant pic.twitter.com/r4gLkzaQaQ

— Haimanti (@theinkedletters) June 3, 2020

"Somewhere in God's own country, not Kerala..." another wrote while sharing a heartbreaking sketch that shows a baby elephant playing with its mother. 

Somewhere in God's own country, not Kerala..#Elephant pic.twitter.com/TUdVTdfBVj

— Rashi Verma (@AdvRashi) June 3, 2020

"As a human I am sorry," a Twitter user apologised on behalf of all humans. 

That's why we are facing several disasters again and again.
God bless her soul ????????
As a human I am sorry #Elephant ????
God please forgive us ????#Karma pic.twitter.com/CH7lFPJrQW

— Sakshi Gupta???????? (@Sakshi4india) June 3, 2020

Another called for justice to be delivered in the case.

????????
MAY GOD PUNISH THEM SOON ????#Elephant pic.twitter.com/DZULet5eQB

— পরিণীতা ???? (@OliLovesYouAll) June 2, 2020

Actor and UN Environment Programme Ambassador Randeep Hooda called it an "act most inhumane" in a post asking for justice.

An act most #inhumane to will fully feed a pineapple full of fire crackers to friendly wild pregnant #Elephant is just unacceptable..strict action should be taken against the culprits sir ????????@vijayanpinarayi @CMOKerala @PrakashJavdekar @moefcc @ntca_india https://t.co/ittFQogkQV

— Randeep Hooda (@RandeepHooda) June 2, 2020

Officials suspect that the elephant ate the pineapple either in the end of April or the beginning of May. "We don't know when the incident happened. But because of the starvation and shrinking of the elephant, we suspect that it would have happened around 20 days ago," forest officer Aashique Ali U told NDTV.

Forest officials got to know about the elephant only on May 25, two days before she died. They brought two captive elephants, called Surendran and Neelakanthan, to lead her out of the river where she stood with her mouth and trunk in water, perhaps for some relief from the pain. After unsuccessful attempts to lead her out, the elephant died at 4 pm on May 27. 

Police have now launched an investigation into the case and filed a First Information Report against unknown persons. No arrests have been made so far.