Kerala: Elephant runs amok in Palakkad; one injured, several houses damaged

By Aishwarya Nair | First Published Mar 4, 2024, 9:20 AM IST

An elephant that was taken for a temple festival in Pattambi of Palakkad district ran amok on Monday (Mar 04) morning triggering fear in the region. The jumbo attacked a Tamil Nadu native and reportedly damaged several houses in the area.

Palakkad: An elephant that was taken for a festival ran amok leaving one injured and destroying several houses in Pattambi of Palakkad district on Monday (Mar 04). The elephant was tamed later and subdued.

The incident took place at about 4 am, when the truck driver pulled over to get tea from a nearby shop at Thirunellai, Vadakkumuri. Somehow, the elephant managed to escape from the truck, spreading fear across the surrounding area. According to reports, the elephant attacked the local cattle and damaged a few houses and shops.

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The mahout could be seen attempting to calm the jumbo by offering it food. The elephant is named Muthu, also known as Sekharan, and it belongs to a native of Kozhikode. Running wild, the jumbo knocked a man from Tamil Nadu who was sleeping on a field. The man sustained minor injuries, according to officials.

According to reports, the elephant was one among the three elephants taken for a temple festival at Pattambi. A dispute broke out during this event between the two groups of the temple committees. A man charged at one of the elephants during this altercation, intending to harm the person sitting on it, causing the elephant to go amok. Hours later, Muthu triggered panic in the residential areas.

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