Bollywood Trade News Network

Rahul Khanna, on learning from PETA of the elephant who was badly injured by the truck in Chembur on 20th morning, immediately took time out from his busy shooting schedule in Bangkok to write to the Chief Minister of Maharashtra asking him to stop the entry of elephants into the city of Mumbai.

"Elephants are social creatures who spend about 18 hours a day walking, feeding, bathing in water holes and interacting with other elephants. They are intelligent and sensitive animals and are known to mourn the loss of a relative, just as humans do," writes Rahul.

Rahul further said, "They are made to walk and beg on hot tar roads in the city. The methods used to control elephants are very cruel and cause a threat to the mahouts as well."

This is not the first time that Rahul Khanna is standing up for captive elephants. In March of this year he had posed with a fake baby elephant as well as put himself in chains for a PETA ad to again bring to the forefront the misery of captive elephants. Bringing an elephant on to any street or public place of Mumbai who can cause an obstruction, damage, injury, danger, or mischief on the road is an offence under section 100 of the Bombay Police Act.

An elephant called Lakshmi was hit by a bus in Andheri (West) about three years back. There have been countless incidents of mahouts being charged with begging but they pay the paltry fines and take the animals to beg again somewhere else.

"I am writing to ask you, as the Chief Minister of Maharashtra, won't you please ban the entry of these gentle giants into the city of Mumbai" begs Rahul? "Let Mumbai be the first city to take a compassionate step and say 'Elephants belong in the wild, not in cities".

A copy of the letter is available with PETA.