Tragedy Strikes Kerala Temple Festival: Elephants' Rampage Causes Deaths and Injuries

At the Manakulangara Temple festival in Koyilandy, Kozhikode, Kerala, a tragic incident occurred when two elephants became agitated, leading to a fatal stampede. The disturbance began when firecrackers were ignited during the festival, startling the elephants. One of the elephants, named Dhanjayanan, attacked another elephant, Gokul, by stabbing it with its tusk. In the ensuing chaos, Gokul collapsed onto the festival committee office, causing the structure to crumble. This collapse resulted in the deaths of two women, identified as Leela (65) and Ammukkutty (70), who were inside the office at the time. Additionally, 33 individuals sustained injuries, with seven reported to be in critical condition. The injured were promptly transported to Kozhikode Medical College and nearby hospitals for treatment. The incident has raised concerns about the safety protocols in place during temple festivals, especially those involving live animals. Authorities are expected to review and possibly implement stricter guidelines to prevent such tragedies in the future. Source: Asianet News