Elephant dies, ends controversy

NEW DELHI, Oct. 4 (UPI) -- Arundhati has died in her sleep, sparing Indian authorities from deciding whether the crippled 80-year-old elephant should be euthanized.

The pachyderm in the north Indian state of Uttarakhand, who suffered multiple fractures after a fall in a march three weeks ago, had been in pain, with veterinarians saying the leg could not be mended, the BBC reported.

While a lethal injection had been planned to put her out of her misery, Arundhati -- a name in Hindu mythology referring to cosmic energy – died late Tuesday, reportedly of natural causes.

The mercy killing proposal was widely opposed by animal rights activists, and Arundhati’s national park was served with legal notices barring any such action.

Her death, however, has not stopped animal rights activists from accusing forest department officials of negligence, the BBC report said.

Former Indian Environment Minister Maneka Gandhi, a noted animal welfare activist, said no lesson would be learned from Arundhati’s death. “The same mistake will be repeated,” the report said.