Kochi | A day after visuals of mahouts brutally beating up elephants at an elephant camp under the Guruvayur Devaswom went viral, the Kerala High Court on Friday directed that strict action be initiated against the offenders.

A bench comprising Justices Anil Narendran and G Girish also warned of stern action against the Devaswom officials in the matter.

A visual of a few mahouts brutally beating up two elephants went viral on social media yesterday, following which the matter was taken up by the high court today while hearing another plea on mistreatment of the animals in the elephant camps.

The court flayed the Guruvayur Devaswom Board officials and demanded to see the CCTV visuals from the camp. It also asked whether the board was aware what was happening at the elephant camp functioning under its authority.

Meanwhile the board informed the court that action has been taken against the two mahouts in the incidents which took place on January 15 and 24. The temple body was responding to the query by the high court on action taken in the incident.

Yesterday, Forests Minister A K Saseendran had asked the Chief Wildlife Warden to submit a report on the incident. The officials later suspended the two mahouts of following the controversy