Probe Against Organiser For Holding Elephant Procession

The Pune forest department on Monday initiated an investigation against an event organiser from Urwade village, Mulshi taluka, for allegedly holding an elephant procession in Mulshi.

- Gayatri Vajpeyee

PUNE: While the event organiser claims that he took necessary permission for the event, the wildlife warden says that permission was given only for transportation of the elephant and not for holding any procession due to which action must be taken against the organiser.

The incident occurred on February 2 when Rahul Balkawade, a resident of Urawade village and close friend of Shankar Mandekar, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) member of legislative assembly (MLA) from Bhor assembly constituency, organised an event to felicitate Mandekar for his victory in the state assembly election. Allegedly, an elephant procession was held in which the MLA, seated on an elephant, distributed sweets to the residents of five villages in Mulshi taluka.