Elephant runs amok, destroys walls

Mahouts chaining an elephant that ran amok from the Panniyankara Thaliyadathu Muruga temple in Kozhikode on Monday. Photo: S. Ramesh Kurup

An elephant that ran amok during a temple festival at Panniyankara created panic among people for nearly four hours on Monday.

The compound walls of three houses were damaged in the captive elephant’s fury.

The animal was later tamed by the mahout.

Witnesses said the elephant went berserk when the ritualistic procession of the Thaliyadathu Muruga temple was in progress. People who were part of the procession, however, escaped unhurt as the elephant turned around and ran to the Payyanakkal side, they said.

Under control

The situation was brought under control when the police officials from Panniyankara reached the spot and controlled the crowd that chased the animal to the Kallayi river side.

After several hours of effort, the mahout managed to chain the elephant that finally stood calm near the Kallayi railway goods shed.