A Moulvibazar court on Monday directed the Forest Department to take legal action against what it described as the 'torture' of elephant calves under the guise of 'training' at Kchaital area in Juri upazila.

Chief Judicial Magistrate Court Judge Muhammad Ali passed the order after studying video footage of torture on Youtube and news published in different newspapers.

The court also issued a rule as to why inactivity of Officer-in-Charge of Juri police station and a divisional forest officer of Wildlife Management and Nature Conservation Division to prevent torture on elephants according to Wildlife (Conservation and Security) Act, 2012, and Animal Welfare Act of 2019, should not be deemed illegal.

The court asked the respondents to submit a reply within 15 March on why proper legal actions will not be taken against them.

Elephant calves are domesticated following an age-old training process known as 'Hadani'. During the training the calves are kept tied with a log apart from their mother. The cubs are mercilessly tortured and are not given foods regularly during the period.