Kerala - Kollam   

Tusker jumps into lake

Staff Reporter

Frightened by inebriated people

KOLLAM: A tusker that jumped into the Ashtamudi Lake at Kanjiracode, near here, around midnight on Monday, created panic for more than four hours. The 33-year old-tusker Bolu was being taken to Kundara after participating in Monday's Kollam pooram.

On reaching, Elampallur at 11.45 p.m., the mahout halted for adjusting the shackles on the elephant's foot. A group of persons alleged to be in an inebriated state who happened to be in the vicinity began teasing the tusker.

In fright, the elephant ran from the scene and darted through Kanjiracode road, took a deviation and on reaching the banks of the Ashtamudi Lake, jumped into it, swam for over a kilometre and remained floating at a location that was more than 30 feet deep.

The police soon reached the scene and Kundara Sub-Inspector of police Pradeep Kumar informed P.K. Jacob, chairman of the elephant squad Daya, about the situation. Dr. Jacob immediately rushed to the scene along with veterinary surgeon R.K. Samuel.

A group of fishermen who were fishing in the lake were taken aback to see an elephant floating amidst them in the dark.

With the fishermen's help the elephant squad identified the location where the tusker was floating. Since the elephant was floating in the lake, administering a tranquiliser shot was ruled out.

Soon a team was formed under Dr. Jacob's leadership and in four boats they rowed towards the elephant. The team held aloft fire-lit torches and shouted at the top of their voices. Soon, the tusker started moving towards the shore. And by 4 a.m., Bolu came out of the lake. On seeing his mahout, Bolu remained calm and was soon tethered. Bolu had earlier served in a circus company.

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