Elephant under police investigation

Bewildered police, for the first time, are to investigate an elephant on charges of assault on a person.

The unprecedented case was reported to the Gwangjin Police Station on Monday in which a 48-year-old woman surnamed Kim claimed to have been hit with large stones, thrown by an elephant, according to police officials yesterday.

Kim was taking a walk on Monday morning in the Children`s Grand Park Zoo in eastern Seoul, when she was knocked down by a blow to the back of her head.

When she recovered from the initial shock, she found two stones close by, each the size of a grown-up`s fist.

The only potential aggressor that she could see in the perimeter was the elephant in a nearby cage, she said during police questioning.

Despite the dull pain in her head, Kim went back home after reporting the incident to the zoo`s control office.

However, as her pain intensified, she decided to visit a hospital in the evening and was told the injury was worse than she had thought, for which she decided to hold the elephant responsible.

"No one else other than that elephant could have thrown those stones at me," Kim said to the police. "The park should take responsibility for neglecting to supervise the animal."

The police are checking CCTV tapes and questioning zoo officials, in response to this unprecedented case.

(tellme@heraldm.com)



By Bae Hyun-jung