Natraj Circus forced to cancel all shows after elephant repeats antics

Kolkata, December 20 Bhola, the elephant of Nataraj Circus who created a flutter yesterday, continued his rampage today for about one-and-a-half hour beginning 1 pm. Though the tusker had not fully emerged out of the tranquiliser’s effects, he continued breaking the circus tent’s wooden framework and hurling pieces of wood at circus employees.

General manager of the circus, Sailen Ghosh, said: “We have decided to cancel all shows till Bhola calms down. We cannot risk the security of the spectators as well as our employees.”

“Bhola has been shifted to an isolated place at one end of the circus area,” added Ghosh.

No tranquilisers were administered to the tusker today even though forest officials visited the circus. Yesterday, officials had sedated Bhola with Valium.

Bhola is the oldest of the four tuskers in Nataraj Circus. The other three circus elephants are — Suman, Basanti and Bhola’s 11-year-old calf Notu.

“Bhola has gone through such phases in the past but this time he went out of control. This is without a partner in the current mating season. We do have female elephants in our circus but they can’t be considered for mating as they are much younger than Bhola,” said Ghosh.