Kerala - Kollam   

Panic as tuskers run amok

Staff Reporter

Elephants were participating in a procession during a temple festival at Kottarakara

MAMMOTH GATHERING: A procession of elephants being taken out during the annual festival of Sri Maha Ganapathi Temple at Kottarakara in Kollam district on Tuesday.

KOLLAM: Panic spread at Kottarakara town on Tuesday evening when two tuskers participating in a `procession of elephants' during the annual festival of the local Sri Maha Ganapathi Temple ran amok.

Another 14 elephants that formed part of the procession ran helter-skelter, adding to the chaos.

The crowd that gathered on both sides of the road to see the procession fled to safety. No one was injured in the melee.

A man mounted on top of one of the tuskers that ran amok was injured and has been hospitalised.

One of the tuskers smashed seven motorcycles and an autorickshaw parked on the road side.

Though the mahouts managed to tether 15 tuskers, one was still running amok.

Personnel from the Elephant Squad at Kollam rushed to the scene. They shot a tranquilliser dart at the tusker and brought it under control.

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Panic as tuskers run amok

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