Guwahati, Aug. 8 -- A battered and limping elephant, identified as Maniki, has been rescued from years of neglect and alleged forced labor following a viral social media appeal and swift intervention by Assam's forest officials.

Once known for her tears of pain, today Maniki walks with dignity, under care, not chains.

The turning point in Maniki's life came on the night of August 5, when Devajit Moran, a committed wildlife conservationist from Upper Assam, spotted the elephant near the Makum Bypass. Her condition was heartbreaking; she was limping, visibly in pain, and unable to walk properly. One of her legs appeared fractured.

"The elephant was crying in pain. Wide tears streamed down her face. "She struggled to walk because one of h...