Sri Lanka Arrests Three after Wild Elephant Burned to Death, Sparks Public Fury
Sri Lankan police have arrested three men accused of setting a wild elephant on fire with flaming torches while attempting to chase it away, an incident that has sparked widespread outrage across the country.
The attack occurred in a village in northern Sri Lanka and came to public attention after a video of the incident circulated widely on social media this week, triggering fierce backlash from the public and animal rights groups.
Despite receiving treatment from veterinarians, the adult male elephant succumbed to its injuries on Tuesday. Local media reported that the animal had suffered severe burn injuries as well as a gunshot wound to its leg. It had reportedly been treated by veterinary teams several times earlier this year.
The three suspects, aged between 42 and 50, were taken into custody on Thursday, according to local media.
The case has drawn sharp condemnation from animal welfare advocates and social media users. A petition launched on Thursday calling for the prosecution of those responsible and stronger measures to prevent similar acts of cruelty has already gathered more than 400 signatures.
Elephants hold deep cultural and religious significance in Sri Lanka, where the majority Buddhist population considers them sacred. Domesticated elephants often play a central role in religious ceremonies and are also a major attraction for tourists.
Under Sri Lankan law, killing an elephant is a serious offence and can carry the death penalty, according to the World Wildlife Fund.
However, escalating human-elephant conflict has led to rising fatalities on both sides. Nearly 400 elephants have died so far this year, local media reported. An official told the Daily Mirror that many deaths were caused directly by human actions, including shootings, train accidents, and the use of “jaw bombs” — explosive bait deployed by farmers to protect crops.
In the same period, more than 100 people were reportedly killed in elephant attacks, underscoring the growing crisis surrounding human-wildlife coexistence in the country.
