Elephant cries tears of joy after being freed from suffering on American Independence Day

An elephant who was held in chains and beaten and abused for fifty years cried as he was released to freedom, the Daily Mail reports. 

Raju the elephant was left bleeding from spiked shackles and living on hand-outs from passing tourists after he was captured and tied up by his ‘owner.’

But, after 50 years of torture, the animal cried tears of relief after he was rescued by a wildlife charity in a daring midnight operation – fittingly on American Independence Day.

North London-based charity Wildlife SOS stepped in to save Raju from dying in his bonds after learning of his plight in India.

Every day, the majestic animal was forced to hold out his trunk and beg for a few coins from passers-by – surviving only on plastic and paper for food.

However, last week, a 10-strong team of vets and wildlife experts from the charity were joined by 20 forestry department officers and six policemen to seize Raju from his suffering in the Uttar Pradesh area of India.

The mission took place under the cover of darkness, as fewer people would be around for the dangerous rescue and the animal could be protected from the searing heat of the sun.

Pooja Binepal, the charity’s UK spokesman, described the rescue as ‘incredibly emotional’ for the team.

She said: ‘Raju has spent the past 50 years living a pitiful existence in chains 24 hours a day, an act of intolerable cruelty.

‘The team were astounded to see tears roll down his face during the rescue. It was so incredibly emotional for all of us. We knew in our hearts he realised he was being freed.

‘Elephants are not only majestic, but they are highly intelligent animals, who have been proven to have feelings of grief, so we can only imagine what torture half a century has been like for him.

‘Until we stepped in he'd never known what it is like to walk free of his shackles – it's a truly pitiful case.

‘But today he knows what freedom is and he will learn what kindness feels like and what it's like to not suffer any more.’