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Spreading panic, jumbo paints the town red

Staff Correspondent

Breaks loose from the Mysore Palace, strolls through the streets; causes no harm

MYSORE: An elephant broke loose from the Mysore Palace here on Wednesday morning and ambled along several crowded roads, spreading panic among residents of the city.

After roaming aimlessly, but menacingly, through the streets for more than two hours and causing disquiet among residents, police, mahouts and palace authorities, the elephant returned to its quarters in the palace without harming anyone or causing any damage to property.

According to the mahouts at the palace, the drama began unfolding around 8 a.m. when they were bathing the elephants near the water tank on the premises. The sound of a helicopter over the palace excited Indira, which disobeyed its mahout, Nagesh, and began running around.

Before the mahouts could control the elephant, it walked out of the palace through the South Gate, also called as the Varaha Gate. It first proceeded towards the Gun House and entered Ramanuja Road, even as bewildered people watched.

No harm caused

With an iron chain around its fore leg, Indira went around the residential localities of Nanjumalige, Krishnamurthypuram and Jayanagar, taking main roads as well as lanes and by-lanes. But, throughout its six to seven km long trek, it did not attack anybody or damage any property.

Soon after the elephant broke loose, police and forest department officials were alerted. The palace authorities also dispatched four elephants, all female. The officials, besides mahouts astride on other elephants, began trailing Indira.

Next, the errant pachyderm sauntered into the compound of a house, which was being used as an office.

The authorities trailing Indira led the other elephants — Preethi, Chanchal, Seetha and Raji — into the same compound and bolted the gate.

Once inside, the mahouts tried in vain to bring Indira under control. Its mahout refused to climb atop the Indira, which remained in an agitated mood. Minutes later, Indira decided get out. With one mighty swing of her trunk, it broke the bolt and threw the gate ajar.

Then it resumed her majestic trek through city roads.

When the elephant came near the West Gate of the palace, the mahouts and other officials goaded it towards the palace gate.

Indira entered the palace and headed straight to the water tank in the elephants quarters and splashed water on its body, bringing to an end the anxiety-filled exercise.

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