Elephant runs amok in Thrissur, damages vehicles

A rogue jumbo ran amok in Thrissur city, destroying vehicles and properties, but fortunately, no one was injured in the incident that caused widespread panic.

A jumbo ran amok in a residential area in Thrissur city on Saturday morning, destroying vehicles and properties, creating panic among the people, police said.

Nobody was injured in the incident, they added.

The elephant suddenly got agitated while returning from a temple and ran a couple of kilometres through the city, police said.

It overturned or damaged vehicles in its path, the walls of some houses and trees as it moved around in the colony where BJP leader B Gopalakrishnan also resides.

One of the vehicles damaged in the incident was a car being driven by a woman on her way to work.

According to TV visuals, the elephant flipped the car onto its side, while the woman was still inside it, after raising it up and down a few times with its tusks.

The woman, Sangeetha, told a TV channel that people pulled her out of the car after the elephant left and said she was fortunate to escape without any injuries.

After around an hour, the mahouts of the elephant managed to chain the hind legs of the elephant, but it had not calmed down even then.

Meanwhile, State Forest Minister Shibu Baby John told a TV channel that on coming to know of the incident, he immediately gave instructions for dispatching an elephant squad to the area.

He said that senior forest officials would reach the area and take necessary steps.

He also said that instructions were given to use tranquiliser darts, if required.

During the incident, some photojournalists claimed that some people assaulted them and damaged their equipment to prevent them from taking photographs of the elephant.

Later, after the elephant calmed down, Gopalakrishnan said they would not allow the jumbo to be removed from the area till the government or a minister promises to compensate the residents for the damage suffered to their homes and vehicles.

It led to a brief argument between him and State Minister for Youth Welfare, Sports and Registration O J Janeesh, who arrived at the site.

Janeesh said that keeping the elephant in the residential area will create more problems.

He also said that officials will record the damage caused by the elephant in order to ascertain the compensation to be given, and urged him not to insist on keeping the elephant there.

''We are going to take into account the damages caused in order to provide compensation,'' the minister said and added that the situation should not be used as an opportunity.

After that, Gopalakrishnan told reporters that he was, for now, believing what the minister said about providing compensation.

He also said that damage was caused to five homes, three cars and seven motorbikes.