R Madhavan Holds ‘Free Sunder’ Sign To Call For Elephant’s Release

Immediate Release:
7 February 2014

Contact:
Benazir Suraiya; [email protected]
Mansi Rawal ; [email protected]

Actor Joins Call for Abused Animal’s Freedom in Advance of High Court Hearing

Mumbai – Today, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India is releasing an image of award-winning actor R Madhavan holding a sign reading, “Free Sunder”, to support People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India in its call for the release of the abused 14-year-old elephant to a sanctuary. PETA India is seeking Sunder’s release via a case in the High Court of Bombay. The next High Court hearing is set for 12 February.

Member of the Legislative Assembly Vinay Kore donated Sunder to the Jyotiba temple in 2007, and the elephant has mostly been kept chained and inside dark sheds since then. In December 2013, PETA obtained video footage showing that Sunder’s mahout violently beat him with a pole near a poultry shed where he had been moved at the behest of Kore. That same month, the High Court of Bombay ordered Sunder’s transfer to a sanctuary, but he has yet to be released by Principal Chief Conservator of Forests Sarjan Bhagat.

“Sunder is just a young elephant, not much older than my son, and he has many years of life ahead of him”, Madhavan says. “He must not be forced to live it alone, in chains and in fear of being beaten. It’s high time to free Sunder.”

Joining Madhavan in his call for Sunder’s release have been Amitabh Bachchan, Madhuri Dixit, Arjun Rampal, Raveena Tandon and many other top celebrities as well as more than 1,00,000 people, who have signed PETA India’s online petition.

For more information, please visit PETAIndia.com.

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