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Journalism of Courage
A video of an elephant running amok during the concluding ceremony of the Tharakkal temple festival at Thrissur, Kerala, on Friday night has emerged on social media.
According to Mathrubhumi, the incident happened around 10.30 pm when the elephant, Guruvayur Ravikrishnan, parading for the ‘Ammathiruvady’, lost control, causing panic among people attending the festival. The mahout narrowly escaped after the elephant made three attempts to attack him. However, he sustained minor injuries and was rushed to a hospital at Koorkenchery.
The video also shows the elephant charging at another elephant, Puthupally Arjunan. People carried by the elephants sustained injuries too, while several others — who tried to escape the attack — fell and got hurt.
Reports also mentioned that both the elephants were later brought under control by the elephant squad.
Reacting to the video shared on YouTube by R Media, a user commented, “Horrible kind of worship. One side wild elephants are killing people, other side the men, harass elephants in the name of pleasing God.” Another user wrote, “What do we pay the elephant owner to get one for a procession and who will bear damages if the elephant destroys things.”
A similar incident took place last year wherein an elephant went berserk during the festival in Kunnamkulam’s Kottiyattumukku, causing panic among the people.
