Rivaldo whose trunk was injured by a trap set by humans nearly 10 years ago is a gentle, well mannered, wild elephant in the Sigur Range of the Nilgirs. He has been unfairly captured by the forest department and put in a Karal allegedly for treating him for a 10-year-old wound that has healed but could be troubling him now, During the early days of his injury, for no fault of the elephant many wildlife lovers were supplementing his feeding. The trunk healed shortly thereafter and for the past many years he has been very self-sufficient, co-existing very comfortably around all the villages surrounding the Reserve Forests. 
The accusations of the villagers that this elephant is threatening their lives are baseless. Today if this elephant is foraging in the villages, it is only because these villages are located in the middle of the elephant corridors obstructing their walk path and their growing of agricultural crops in proximity of forest zones. All kinds of wild animals’ forage in human dumped garbage in the villages let alone Rivaldo and other elephants. So, are we going to capture all elephants (and other animals) in the reserve forests who are attracted to the availability of easy food produced and dumped by villages and cage them?
The treatment pretext is a lie. Rivaldo's capture is with a sinister intent of training him to be a Kumki owing to his familiarity with human beings. This animal has been spotted by wildlife enthusiasts as recently as the day before it was caged. It was foraging naturally and physically very fit.
Why the sudden interest in Rivaldo after 10 years of not caring for him? Is it because of human selfishness that Rivaldo needs to be punished for no fault of his? Perhaps because of his gentle and human friendly nature and the departments need to add to its Kumki herd.
For the past 30 days this gentle giant is in a cage that has just enough space for him to turn, maybe 2 feet, and he is standing all the time, being fed 24hrs, with absolutely no exercise and activity. Elephants need to walk and forage for nearly 10 to 15 kms each day. It has been 30 days since he has moved even 10 feet.
The taming process has already started and this is being done despite court orders that the elephant should be set free after due nursing of his ailment.
We believe Rivaldo has been allocated a huge budget by the department for its captivity? Why? There seems to be more of a conspiracy than an act of kindness.

The real act of kindness is to set Rivaldo Free. Join me in signing this petition in appeal to the Chief Minister of Tamilnadu and the Central Forest Minister urging their attention to this unfortunate act of selfishness by the Forest Department in the Nilgiris.