A man sustained critical injuries, and sixteen others were injured when an elephant went berserk during the Puthiyangadi ‘nercha’ festival in Malappuram, Kerala, on Tuesday night. The incident occurred as a crowd gathered to witness the annual celebration.
Video footage from the event shows five elephants, adorned with golden plates, parading through the crowd. As people tried to capture the moment on their cameras, one elephant, named Pakkathu Sreekuttan, suddenly became agitated. Despite Mahout’s attempts to regain control, the elephant charged into the crowd, triggering widespread panic.
#WATCH | Malappuram, Kerala: Many people were injured when an elephant turned violent during Puthiyangadi annual 'nercha' at BP Angadi, Tirur
— ANI (@ANI) January 8, 2025
(Source: Taluk Disaster Response Force) pic.twitter.com/jlm7tCGTxf
During the chaos, the elephant lifted a man into the air and tossed him, leaving him critically injured. The man was rushed to a hospital, where he is undergoing treatment. Other people sustained injuries resulting from a stampede as festival-goers scrambled for safety.
Several men attempted to restrain the elephant using chains, but it took nearly two hours to calm the animal. Once controlled, the elephant was secured near a mast to prevent further incidents.
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