Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma condemn killing of pregnant elephant in Kerala

Image Credits: Twitter/@ICC

Indian skipper Virat Kohli and star opener Rohit Sharma have expressed shock over the tragic killing of a pregnant elephant in Kerala's Malappuram district recently.

On May 27, a 15-year-old pregnant elephant had entered into a village in search of food, but a local allegedly fed her a pineapple stuffed with firecrackers in Kerala`s Malappuram. The elephant suffered serious injuries on its tongue and mouth as the crackers exploded and it died after spending three days in pain and agony standing in river Velliyar.

Condemning the act, Kohli took to his official Twitter handle and expressed grief over the inhuman treatment meted out to the animal while also urging everyone to bring an end to these cowardly acts.

"Appalled to hear about what happened in Kerala. Let's treat our animals with love and bring an end to these cowardly acts," the Indian captain tweeted.

Appalled to hear about what happened in Kerala. Let's treat our animals with love and bring an end to these cowardly acts. pic.twitter.com/3oIVZASpag

— Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) June 3, 2020

Rohit Sharma too left heartbroken to hear the news and said that no animal deserves to be treated with cruelty.

"We are savages. Are we not learning ? To hear what happened to the elephant in Kerala was heartbreaking. No animal deserves to be treated with cruelty," he wrote.

We are savages. Are we not learning ? To hear what happened to the elephant in Kerala was heartbreaking. No animal deserves to be treated with cruelty. — Rohit Sharma (@ImRo45) June 4, 2020

Meanwhile, Indian football team captain Sunil Chhetri described the perpetrators of this incident as 'monsters'.

"“She was a harmless, pregnant Elephant. That makes the people who did what they did, monsters and I hope so hard that they pay a price. We keep failing nature over and over again. Remind me how we’re the more evolved species?” Chhetri tweeted.

She was a harmless, pregnant Elephant. That makes the people who did what they did, monsters and I hope so hard that they pay a price. We keep failing nature over and over again. Remind me how we’re the more evolved species? — Sunil Chhetri (@chetrisunil11) June 3, 2020

Star Indian shuttler Saina Nehwal too condemned the act by replying to People For Animals India’s recent tweet on the brutality.

 “So sad to know this,” Saina tweeted.

So sad to know this https://t.co/nlfcNTqw5w — Saina Nehwal (@NSaina) June 3, 2020

The post-mortem revealed that the pachyderm was pregnant. The tragic death of the elephant came to light after Mohan Krishnan, a forest officer, posted an emotional note on his Facebook page, narrating the death of the elephant in the waters of the Velliyar River.