This is another animal story. This one is about an elephant, Raju. He suffered all his life being chained 24 hours a day.

Raju was poached from his mother and sold to the men who were exploiting animals. The elephant entertained tourists and his owner’s guests. He suffered only due to the food that was given by passing people. There were times when he had to eat paper and plastic.

The organization of protection of wild animals SOS-UK could not stay indifferent. Boredpanda writes that the rescuers Kartic and Pooja Binepal decided to save the animal in a midnight resque operation.

“When Raju saw us, I bet he realized that he was being freed. You may not believe but he started to cry. Tears were rolling down his face. An incredibly emotional scene”, Pooja Binepal shared during the interview with Presspeople.

Elephants are quite emotional animals. As researchers claim, they have a big hippocampus, the part of a brain that is responsible for emotions.

During the animal rescue operation the owner tried to interfere and prevent it, but the rescuers knew what they came for, no one may stop them. It took 45 minutes to liberate the elephant from the tightly wrapped chains.

Raju was saved after 50 years of suffering. He was driven to the sanctuary, 350 miles away from the place where he was kept. Charity’s Elephant Conservation and Care Centre at Mathura became his new home. Finally, he could move freely, no chains were squeezing his legs, and thank God the times of starvation were over.

Raju liked his new home. He was already on the mend and even found some friends.