British journalist Liz Jones, in a report published on the Sunday edition of the Daily Mail, has exposed the cruelty inflicted on temple elephants in Kerala.

She visited 'secret jungle training camps' conducted for the elephants at the Guruvayur Temple in Thrissur district, central Kerala. The journalist was accompanied by the founder of non-government organisation Save The Asian Elephants (STAE) Duncan McNair and the Head of the Centre for Wildlife Studies in Kerala, Dr Nameer.

After Daily Mail Expose on Kerala Elephants, Wildlife Photographer Refutes Claims

Jones saw as many as 57 Asian elephants being ill treated at the camps. According to her report, many of the temple elephants have been chained for more than 20 years. The photos show how much the animals have suffered and the ill-treatment they are undergoing under the mahouts.

When Jones enquired about an old-looking tusker who was found chained at the camp, she was told that the 43-year-old elephant was never once released in the last 20 years.

The animals are tortured and beaten during the training to make sure that they perform well before the spectators, the report said.

Female elephants, which are not taken to temples or festivals, were chained for more than 35 years.

Jones is now on a mission to set the captive elephants free and end the cruelty.

Check out the shocking photos and video below:

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