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Elephant flings 26-year-old into the air at Kerala temple festival; horrifying video goes viral
The incident occurred during the Valiyavilakku festival at the Annamanada Mahadeva Temple, where large crowds had gathered for the annual event.
Police reached the spot to control the crowd, while a specialised elephant squad was called in to evaluate the animal’s behaviour
Festivities at a temple in Kerala took a frightening turn when a captive elephant suddenly attacked a 26-year-old man, leaving him critically injured and prompting organisers to halt the celebrations for a while. The incident occurred during the Valiyavilakku festival at the Annamanada Mahadeva Temple, where large crowds had gathered for the annual event, according to a report by India Today.
In the now-viral video, the elephant is seen calmly standing in place as preparations for the procession continue around it. One person appears to be climbing onto the animal’s back, while another stands nearby holding a thidambu (an ornate replica of the deity that is placed on the head of an elephant).
Without any visible warning, the elephant suddenly lashes out. It grabs the man by the legs with its trunk, drags him forward, lifts him into the air, and then violently flings him aside. The shocking moment sent people nearby running in panic.
Watch the video:
Trigger Warning:
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The injured man was rushed to Apollo Adlux Hospital in Angamaly, where he is reported to be in serious condition. Temple authorities briefly suspended the festival rituals following the incident, and the elephant was secured within the premises to avoid further danger.
Police reached the spot to control the crowd, while a specialised elephant squad was called in to evaluate the animal’s behaviour and ensure it could be safely handled and removed.
Officials are now looking into what may have triggered the sudden aggression and are expected to review safety measures for managing elephants during temple events.
The disturbing footage has sparked strong reactions online. One user wrote, “Poor soul… festivals need more care for both humans and elephants.” Another commented, “If devotion requires chains and control, something is wrong. People worship gods but ignore suffering right in front of them.”
A third person added, “I am now concerned for the poor animal, who has been exploited and now will have been punished by the Humans.”
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A fourth individual wrote, “They are called wild animals for reason…let them live in their natural habitat freely…if we put chains ,put such things on it n all thats obvious sometimes coz they arent humans no…im not against rituals its just that we need to understand animals are safe in natural habitat and its safe for humans too!”
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