Kerala: 23 Injured After Elephant Goes On Rampage During Temple Festival In Putiyangadi — Video

A video of the incident showed the elephant going on a rampage and tossing a man into the air in Kerala's Putiyangadi.

The agitated jumbo was then brought to control with the help of the elephant's caretaker. 

Source : Pixabay

Around 23 individuals suffered injuries after an elephant went on a rampage during a procession of a temple festival in Putiyangadi of Kerala on Wednesday morning. The incident occurred as devotees gathered in large numbers to witness the festivities.

Eyewitnesses reported that the elephant became agitated and charged at the crowd, as per a report on Mathrubhumi. Visuals from the incident show that out of the five elephants lined up for the ceremony, one turned violent and charged toward the crowd gathered in front of it. The elephant lifted a man with its tusk, swung him around, and flung him away.

 

#Watch | Nearly 17 members suffered injuries after an elephant went on a rampage during a procession of a temple festival in Putiyangadi on Wednesday morning. The incident occurred as devotees gathered in large numbers to witness the festivities.#Putiyangadi #Kerela… pic.twitter.com/PjHCSDCn7M

— ABP LIVE (@abplive) January 8, 2025

The remaining individuals sustained minor injuries in the stampede triggered by panic-stricken people following the elephant's attack around 12:30 am, according to an official from the Tirur police station, as per a report on PTI.

After considerable effort, the mahouts managed to pacify and calm the elephant.

Police confirmed that the religious place had obtained the necessary permissions to use elephants for the ceremony.

Last year, chaos erupted at the Tharakkal temple festival in Kerala when an elephant went berserk and attacked another. The incident involved Guruvayur Ravikrishnan, the elephant carrying the 'Ammathiruvady' deity, which lost control and charged at another elephant, Puthupally Arjunan. The sudden attack caused panic among devotees leaving many injured, as per a report on NDTV. Some individuals riding the elephants were hurt in the commotion while others seated atop the elephants attempted to escape but fell sustaining injuries.