Violent tusker claims three lives
Published April 24, 2008 | Kochi, April 24
Kerala the heavenly abode has fascinated all with its varied attraction from its past. This spiritual land showcases an array of rich traditions and customs in its variety of temple festivals. These temple festivities have kept this cultural state always buzzing with festivity and celebrations. One can’t even think of a temple festival without the inclusion of elephants, these jumbos have always been a part of all the celebration in Kerala. But its also fair to say that these elephants have also claimed many lives and loss of property in many occasions in recent past.
In one of such gruesome event three people lost their lives when an elephant ran amok during the annual temple festival of Irinjalakkuda Koodalmanikyam temple in Thrissur district of Kerala. This horrifying incident occurred on the fifth day of the festivity while the tusker Tiruvalla Unnikrishnan was taken out after the ‘siveli’. The reason for the elephant turning violent has not been yet confirmed but rumours are that, someone tried to grab the trunk of the jumbo which made the tusker turn violent.
It was nothing new for the keralites as such scenes have become frequent sights for people of Kerala during these festivals. Prior to this tragic incident many a times such incidents have occurred in which people were killed by the tuskers. In order to provide some relief to the victims family the temple devaswom announced a compensation of Rs 1 lakh to the dependants of the deceased.
