A rogue elephant named after the infamous terrorist leader Osama bin Laden died in captivity early on 17 November.
The animal was nicknamed "Laden" after going on a murderous rampage in the Goalpara district of Assam province in October which claimed the lives of five villagers.
After spending days tracking the elephant, Indian authorities finally managed to tranquilise and catch it on 11 November, then transport it to Assam's Orang National Park.
"The animal was behaving as normal. It was, however, kept with its legs tied so that it couldn't escape," a park ranger told AFP on condition of anonymity.
While the exact cause of the creature’s death wasn’t immediately clear, a senior official said that a team of veterinarians has already been dispatched by the state government to conduct an autopsy.
Prior to its demise, forestry officials expressed their desire to employ the elephant for patrolling parks with Assam's Forest Minister Parimal Shuklabaidya noting that if the taming efforts were to fail, the creature would’ve been released "in a safe zone where it cannot harm civilians."
The elephant was also renamed "Krishna" upon its capture, as it was caught on an auspicious day when the eponymous deity performed a "dance of divine love."
