Fulmati at the Gorumara rescue centre. Picture by Biplab Basak

Jalpaiguri, Nov. 15: He was out to betray her trust by selling her off for money. Yet she mourns his loss.

People in love do the strangest of things. And by the looks of it, so do animals.

Fulmati, the elephant rescued by the forest department and sent to the Gorumara rescue centre on October 27, has not eaten in the last 20 days. And for an animal that spends most of its waking hours eating, the fast has taken a serious toll on her health.

Despite the efforts of forest officials—of allowing interaction with the other elephants—she is unrelenting. Neither temptation nor treats have taken her mind off the thoughts of Jugnu Oraon, her mahaut, now languishing behind bars on charges of animal trafficking.

“She is a ton of tethered temper,” is how Dorga Oraon, the mahaut at the rescue centre described Fulmati. “Her eyes are moist and she rebuffs all our attempts to feed her. She charges blindly at anyone she spots and only the chain prevents her from killing me.”

Authorities are at a loss of dealing with the weakand tired, Fulmati

“The veterinary surgeon has ordered that she be force fed immediately. But none of us dares to approach her,” said Shakher Ali. “The department would do well to find a way of bringing Jugnu to her if they want her to survive.”

Shakher knows best, because had it not been for stubborn Meghlal, another elephant, he too would have been in jail.

Shakher, like Jugnu, was taking Meghlal to Kerela when he was intercepted by forest guards. He landed in prison and Meghlal was brought to the rescue centre.

Like Fulmati, Meghlal too refused food.

When all else failed, department officials were forced to take a step they never believed they would have to. Bring Shakher Ali to the rescue centre to feed his “child”. Shakher has remained there ever since.

With Fulmati’s condition deteriorating with each passing day, forest officials are faced with a similar situation

“Jugnu’s license to wealth might well become his ticket to freedom,” said a forest official.

“We will file a petition in court requesting permission to bring Jugnu Oraon to Gorumara,” said Bimal Debnath, range officer, Gorumara. “We hope the court will understand the pitiable condition of the elephant and grants us permission,” he said.