PHOTOS VIRAL: 70-YEAR-OLD SICK ELEPHANT FORCED TO WALK IN FESTIVAL

Disturbing photos of a 70-year-old female elephant named Tikri surfaced online and people are sad to see the pictures.

In the photos that have gone viral, Tikri is forced to parade on the streets during the Perahera Festival in Sri Lanka. As she is heavily decked up with decorative clothes and lights on her, none can see her bony body or her feeble condition underneath.

As per Times Now report, the pictures shows that the feeble animal has been decked up with colourful robes with a man riding on her back as she parades for 10 consecutive nights. The pictures were released by a charity organisation named 'Save Elephant Foundation' on their Facebook page.

The charity organisation stated that Tikiri joins this parade amidst the noise, loud fireworks and heavy smoke. She is reportedly forced to walk several kilometres every night during the festival so that people feel blessed during the ceremony, Times Now further reported.

While speaking to media, Lek Chailert, the founder of Save Elephant Foundation said that "Tikiri is one of around 60 elephants who are forced to take part in the Esala Perahera, a Buddhist festival in Sri Lanka."

The Save Elephant Foundation took to social media and mentioned that "to love, to do no harm, to follow a path of kindness and compassion, this is the Way of Buddha. It is time to follow."