Zoo suspects disgruntled staff of killing elephants in southern India

Agence France Presse — English
October 26, 2004 Tuesday 8:58 AM GMT

BANGALORE, India Oct 26 — Disgruntled workers at a zoo in southern
India are suspected of poisoning elephants to death after a prize
calf became the third victim.

Police have been called in to investigate the death last week of
seven-year-old Komala at Mysore, in southern Karnataka state, zoo
director Manoj Kumar told AFP on Tuesday.

Two elephants and a lion-tailed macaque, an endangered species,
were poisoned in August.

“There is a suspicion that some disgruntled employees may be behind
the deaths,” he said, adding it was still too soon to suspend anyone
at the zoo.

A government-run veterinary institute found that zinc phosphide,
a cheap pest control agent normally used again rodents, had killed
the first two tuskers.

“There is a pattern in all the three deaths. It is due to poisoning,”
Kumar said.

Komala had been picked out to be sent to Armenia as a gift from Indian
President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam.

“Komala was due to be flown out to Armenia on October 14 and there
was a delay from the Armenian side. Later the date was revised and
fixed for October 30. It is unfortunate,” the director said.

The century-old Mysore zoo houses 1,100 animals.