Kerala: Elephant attacks man who tried to take a selfie with it

Image for representative purpose only (Reuters photo)

In yet another case of people bypassing their personal safety just to get a glamorous selfie, a man in Kerala got soundly whacked by an elephant in his bid to take a photograph with the pachyderm.

The incident, as reported by the Mathrubhumi daily, occurred at 1 am in the night on Tuesday when Sreelal (37) tried offering a banana to an elephant resting after a tiring procession at a temple in Kilimanur. While the elephant’s mahouts were sleeping, Sreelal took advantage of the situation and tried taking a selfie. But the elephant, clearly not amused, first whacked him with its trunk and then hit him with its tusk on his thigh.

But hearing the man’s cries, locals and members of the temple management rushed to his rescue and carried him to Medical College hospital. The man is reportedly out of danger.

Human-elephant conflicts in the state are not new and are routinely reported by newspapers and television channels.