Crushing by elephant had been abolished by the British after they overthrew the Kandyan kingdom in 1815 but the king's execution elephant was still alive and evidently remembered its former duties.
Henrettelse med elefant var afskaffet af briterne, efter de væltede det kandyske kongerige i 1815, men kongens henrettelseselefant var stadig i live og huskede tydeligvis dens tidligere pligter.