Kundara: Kochayyappan badly needed to trim down its overgrown tusks. But the COVID-19 lockdown meant that the elephant too had to wait before someone could free him from the misery of interlocked tusks.

Due to the overgrown tusks, the 18-year-old elephant could not move the trunk at will or feed himself properly.

K Omanakutta Pillai, who owned the tusker, then sought permission from the forest department to trim the tusks.

However, before the procedures were completed, the lockdown was imposed and the elephant had to endure miserable days.

Justice Thottathil Radhakrishnan, who came to know of the elephant’s plight the other day, directed the authorities to immediately do the needful.

Then social forest range officer Baburaj, and veterinary doctor Shyam reached Vellimon Junction in Kollam district around 11am on Sunday. They were also joined by Ernakulam native Vinayan, who was an expert in the process. One of the tusks was cut into three pieces and the other into two pieces.

Mahouts and the elephant owner also helped in the process, which went on for 3.5 hours.

After recording the length and weight of the pieces, the authorities left with the tusks.

With his neatly trimmed pair of tusks, Kochayyappan is now back to enjoy the daily meals.