New Delhi: The Supreme Court today sought responses from the Centre, Rajasthan and Goa on pleas alleging that cruelty is being meted out to elephants used for joyrides in these states.


Photo: AFP

A bench of Justices Dipak Misra and Prafulla C Pant asked Solicitor General Ranjit Kumar to find out as to whether the elephants, used for joyrides, are being subjected to cruelty in violation of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. The direction came on two applications moved on a PIL, filed by six organisations and individuals including Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre, which said the number of captive elephants kept by private persons and religious
institutions stood at over 3,000.