Camel Dies during ISKCON's Rath Yatra in Surat

BY: STAFF CORRESPONDENT

Jul 14, 2010 — SURAT, GUJARAT, INDIA (TIMES OF INDIA) — Hundreds of devotees, who rode a camel cart to participate in Lord Jagannath's rath yatra on Tuesday, ironically left the camel to die on the road after it collapsed on the way. The animal suffered for three hours on the Rander Road before it breathed its last. More shockingly, hundreds of passers-by chose to watch the animal die than call for help.

It was a shocking sight near Tadwadi. The huge carcass lied there for hours on Tuesday night. Remains of water and food that the camel's owner had strewn around for it to eat was untouched as the ailing animal could not eat or drink and died of exhaustion.

Two camel carts, which were part of the main procession in the rath yatra, were boarded by several participants in the yatra that started from Surat railway station. After continuously walking for almost 10 km, one of the camels collapsed around 6 pm. Owner of the camel Ramlal Ninama left it there and continued with the yatra to the ISKCON temple.

Ninama returned to the spot around 8 pm and attempted to give it some water and food to eat, but did not touch anything. Its body temperature continuously rose following which few passers-by informed nature conservationist, who rushed to the spot but within few minutes of there arrival, it died at 9.15 pm without any medical help.

While nearby residents who sought help of nature conservation NGOs alleged that the NGOs responded late, the NGOs stated that they were given information very late.

"We got information at around 8.30 pm and we rushed to the spot immediately. Within few minutes of our reaching the camel died," said Dikansh Parmar of Nature Club, an NGO working for nature conservation.

Darshan Desai of Prayas, said, "We got a call at around 9 pm and when our volunteer reached at the spot the camel died in couple of minutes. Its temperature was too high even after several minutes of death of the animal. It seems that the animal died of exertion and might have suffered a stroke."

Following the death Ninama said, "I called up doctor after returning to the spot but he came late so I could not save the animal. For two camels the temple authorities had paid Rs 2,400 for two days. I had recently bought the camel for Rs 12,000."