Mysuru:  A video of Police officers and team, some of them dressed in white shirt and dhoti, stopping Golden Howdah-carrying elephant Arjuna for selfies during the historic Jumboo Savari procession has drawn flak from people.

City-based advocate P.J. Raghavendra, who captured the video that shows Police officers literally standing in front of Arjuna and posing for selfies on the Jumboo Savari route while the common man was prevented by the Police from venturing anywhere near the elephant.

The Police Officer in question in the incident even allowed his fellow officers and other Policemen to take selfies and click photographs even as Arjuna was carrying the 750-kg Howdah. The incident took place near Chamundeshwari Talkies Gallery on Sayyaji Rao Road. Arjuna was stopped for almost four times by the Police officers and their teams.

Advocate Raghavendra then posted the video on social media platforms and the Police was criticised for their move. Several people have demanded the City Police Commissioner to take stern action against the officers whose action amounted to harassment of elephants.

In his posting, the advocate alleged that the Police officers stopped Arjuna for a long time on the middle of the road and allowed all of his group members to take selfies.

He has also mentioned that one of the officers stopped Arjuna by holding its trunk and tusk not allowing the elephant to move further.

“The Police officers invited women Police officers to take selfies with howdah-elephant while Arjuna’s mahout was struggling to control the elephant when it was stopped to capture selfies,” Raghavendra said. He has urged the City Police Commissioner to take stern action against the officers for insensitivity and for misusing official powers to harass the howdah-elephant.  

Responding on the issue, Commissioner Dr. A. Subramanyeswara Rao said that he had not yet received any complaints against any Police officer regarding the issue.

“The howdah-elephant keeps moving and it never stops. I will probe the role of the Police officers in question and admonish them if they had stopped Arjuna to take selfies,” he said.