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Nightmarish experience during festivals

Its the season of temple festivals in Palakkad district. In every temple, festival elephant is a must.

Tuskers are in great demand, and they are hopping from one temple to the other these days. But the number of elephants running amok has also gone up, and these incidents create tension in temples and adjacent areas.

On Wednesday, one of them ran amok in Thrithala, with six children on its back. For three hours, it had been a nightmare for the children. Finally, they were able to jump and escape.

It is being said that the elephant was given toddy laced with other intoxicants, making it behave in a wild manner. In most cases, the elephants are tortured and they take revenge on the mahouts who oppress them.

According to reports, more than a dozen people had been killed by elephants in the State during the last two months.

Though there are rules to use elephants for temple festival or other works, it is not strictly enforced.

Thus, there is a demand for a mobile tranquilliser unit with expert veterinary doctors stationed in Palakkad district to handle this serious situation.

G. Prabhakaran

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