Article from The Hindu: Sent to you by A.G. Babu

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This is the 40th human casualty during the festival season this year in

Kerala.Cruelty to elephants in all forms still continue unabated

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This article has been sent to you by A.G. Babu ( agbabu )

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Source: The Hindu

(http://www.hinduonnet.com/2008/04/24/stories/2008042454900700.htm)

Kerala

& nbsp; & nbsp;

 

Elephant kills three in Kerala temple

 

 

 

 

Staff Reporter

 

 

 

 

 

 

Probe ordered into incidentAssistance sanctioned to victims & #8217; kin

 

 

 

THRISSUR: Three persons, including a woman, were killed when an elephant, named

Poabson Unnikrishnan, ran amok at the Koodalmanikya Temple in Irinjalakuda, 30

km from here, on Wednesday.

The dead were identified as Kausalya, 75, wife of Velayudhan of Koodampally in

Kodakara; Nideesh, 30, son of Neelakantan of Karyattil in Pallissery near

Annamanada; and Naushad of Oachira.

The elephant turned violent near the & #8216;koothambalam & #8217; (venue for

performing arts) of the temple at 12.20 p.m. after having been featured in a

ceremonial procession. The animal got wild when Naushad touched its tusk and

trampled him to death.

The elephant ran wildly and exited the compound of the temple through its third

entrance. About 200 people who waited near the entrance ran helter-skelter. The

elephant caught up with Kausalya, who could not keep pace with the others, and

trampled her to death. It then entered the temple compound again. People lit

bonfires at two of the three entrances of the temple to prevent the elephant

from leaving the compound.

Members of the Elephant Emergency and Critical Care Unit reached the spot at 1

p.m. They tried to shoot the elephant with a tranquiliser gun, but could not as

it ran wildly.

The elephant then broke open an iron gate at the temple & #8217;s second

entrance. A group of people who stood there, including a Circle Inspector of

police, a policeman and a few photographers, ran to safety. The police said

Nidheesh, an ardent lover of elephants, had ignored the Circle Inspector & #8217;s

warnings against remaining there. The elephant charged at Nidheesh, and gored

and trampled him to death.

A mahout, Kuttan, sat atop the elephant for one-and-a-half hours and clung to

life as the elephant went about killing two persons.

He had a miraculous escape by jumping off the elephant & #8217;s back.

Mahouts brought the elephant to control around 2.15 p.m. inside the temple

compound while it was drinking from the temple pond.

Four persons were injured in the commotion.

District Collector V. K. Baby and top police officials visited the spot. The

Collector ordered an investigation into the incident.

The government and the Irinjalakuda Koodalmanikya Devaswom sanctioned an

assistance of Rs.2 lakh each to the kith and kin of the dead.

P. S. Mani, Divisional Forest Officer, Chalakudy, said temple authorities had

violated the rule that fitness certificates of elephants should be submitted to

the Forest Department 72 hours before the commencement of the festival. In all,

17 elephants were being featured at the 10-day annual temple festival, which

began on April 18.

The Kerala Elephant Lovers Association alleged that temple authorities had

violated the High Court & #8217;s directive on elephant care at festivals between

11 a.m. and 3 p.m.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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