The Hindu : New Delhi News : Elephant scare on New Delhi roads

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Jul 06, 2004

New Delhi

New Delhi

Elephant scare on New Delhi roads

By Our Staff Reporter

N EW DELHI JULY 5. An elephant ran amok on the streets of New Delhi damaging three auto-rickshaws and a taxi in the wee hours of Monday. What followed was an exhausting two-hour-long exercise involving the local and traffic police who along with five other elephants brought the wild animal under control.

It all happened around 2-15 a.m. when the elephant Bhola suddenly went berserk while its "mahaut" was fast asleep on Zakir Hussain Marg. A wild Bhola charged towards an auto-rickshaw driver who abandoned his vehicle and fled. After overturning the auto-rickshaw, Bhola moved ahead on Sher Shah Marg, crushing another auto-rickshaw coming its way. The driver of the auto-rickshaw escaped unhurt and raised an alarm.

Meanwhile, a rampaging Bhola rammed into a taxi at the Bhairon Marg-Mathura Road crossing. With things getting out of hand, the police were alerted who in turn contacted the zoo officials for help. The mahaut Tillu was also traced. With the help of five other elephants, the police cornered Bhola on Bhairon Marg and forced it to move towards the Pushta area after a two-hour-long exercise. When the animal neared the river Yamuna, it entered the water for a bath after which it was pacified.

The Deputy Commissioner of Police (New Delhi), Anita Roy, said the police and the "mahauts" took it to Shakarpur and tied it to a tree after bringing the animal under control. Ms. Roy said no one was hurt in the incident.

The Tilak Marg police have registered a case of negligence leading to loss of property and arrested Tillu. He was later released on bail.

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