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Journalism of Courage
Elephants are revered for their intelligence, strength, and loyalty, and once again, one has proven why. A jaw-dropping video from Kerala is going viral on Instagram, showing a majestic elephant pulling a white Toyota Fortuner sports utility vehicle (SUV) out of a riverbed with ease.
The video begins with the SUV stuck in a shallow river, its wheels, except the front left, submerged. Unable to move, the situation seems hopeless until a mahout (a trained elephant handler) arrives with his elephant, Thiruvegappura Sankaranarayanan.
We next see the elephant gripping a rope tied to the vehicle’s front axle with his trunk. Under the mahout’s guidance, Sankaranarayanan begins to pull with sheer strength, managing to drag the heavy SUV onto solid ground within seconds. The force and precision displayed have left viewers stunned.
The video was shared on Instagram by user @saidkoya90 with the caption, “Thiruvegappura Sankaranarayanan… Our little elephant…” and has since amassed over 2.4 million views and 172,000 likes.
Comments poured in, celebrating the animal’s power and grace. “This Fortuner in front of the elephant looks like a Maruti 800,” wrote one user. Another noted, “We use elephants instead of tow trucks—eco-friendly and majestic.” A third user said, “There are people who are suitable for everything here. This is Thiruvagapuren.”
This isn’t the first time elephants have gone viral. Recently, another video surfaced showing an elephant disabling an electric fence with remarkable precision, proving once again that elephants are not only strong but also incredibly smart.
In India, elephants have traditionally played important roles, not only in festivals and ceremonies but also in industries like logging. While the use of elephants in labour has decreased due to ethical concerns, some domesticated elephants are still employed for specific tasks like logging timber and rescue and relief in difficult terrains under expert supervision.
