At least 17 people were injured, one of them critically, when an elephant lost his cool during an annual festival at a mosque in Kerala’s Malappuram district late last night.
Hundreds had gathered at the Puthiyangadi festival at Tirur. Visuals show at least five elephants adorned with golden plates at the festival as people in the crowd tried to film them.
Suddenly, one of them becomes agitated and charges into the crowd as the mahout struggles to control it. This elephant, named Pakkathu Sreekuttan, is then seen lifting a man and swinging him in the air before flinging him away.
The condition of the man is critical, according to reports, and he is being treated at a hospital in Kotakkal. Visuals captured the panic in the crowd as people struggled to run to safety. Most injuries were the result of the stampede-like situation due to the panic.
Some men were seen trying to control the elephant with chains. It took nearly two hours to bring the elephant under control. The elephant was then near a mast to prevent any further damage.