Jeremy Page in Delhi

A court has awarded £6,850 in compensation for an elephant that was killed in a road accident, on the ground that it was a “living being at par with a human being”.

Babli, a 35-year-old elephant that belonged to Salim Khan, died after it was hit by a speeding Jeep while carrying four British tourists around the Amber Fort near the historic city of Jaipur in 1988.

Mr Khan, one of the dwindling number of professional mahouts in India, took his case to the Motor Accident Claims Tribunal, which awarded him 290,000 rupees (£3,300) in 1993. The insurance company for the driver of the Jeep challenged the ruling, arguing that Mr Khan should receive a maximum 2,000 rupees because the elephant was livestock.

The lawyer for Mr Khan argued that Babli should be considered on a par with a human being because she responded to commands, performed elaborate tricks and was the main breadwinner for the family. After 13 years of wrangling, the Rajasthan High Court finally ruled in favour of Mr Khan.

The verdict came as a huge relief to mahouts, whose livelihoods are threatened by the rising cost of maintaining their elephants and the increase in traffic on Indian roads.

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