Rebecca Manzi Yet another case of exploitation of elephants in captivity ended in tragedy: 3 dead and at least 30 injured at a religious festival in India during the traditional procession. The animals, frightened by the fireworks, attacked each other
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Three people were killed and at least 30 others wounded in Kerala, India, after two captive elephants ran amok during a religious festival. The rampage occurred in the Manakulangara Temple in Koyilandy, Kozhikode district, as a traditional procession was underway wherein elephants are marched around as emblems of dignity and religion.
The chaos ensued when fireworks scared one of the elephants
Eyewitnesses reported that the chaos ensued when loud firecrackers startled one of the elephants, Peethambaran, and it attacked another elephant, Gokul. The fight then resulted in mass hysteria among pilgrims, leading to a stampede in which several people got injured. The victims were either trampled by the stampede or crushed under the weight of the stampede. The temporary office of the temple, which had been constructed for the festival, collapsed in anger under the wrath of the elephants, crushing several people underneath it.
Authorities added the situation was brought under control following hours of effort by mahouts and emergency teams. From the injured, at least five individuals, among them a 10-year-old girl, are reported to be in critical condition.
Too many elephants are used in Indian religious festivals
The tragedy has revived the debate over the employment of elephants in religious festivals in India. Elephants are widely employed in festivals in Kerala despite continuous criticism from animal welfare organizations. Official figures show that the state has nearly 400 captive elephants, mostly privately owned, and employed for ritual purposes.
The Kerala High Court prescribed guidelines to protect the health of these elephants, such as maintaining minimum gaps between animals and restricting processions during certain hours. These rules are flouted as well. Animal welfare organizations have reported on mass maltreatment, such as the use of elephants for prolonged periods of work in the sun, ear-shattering noises, and unhygienic conditions.
The Koyilandy incident is not an isolated one. Last week itself, a man was killed by an elephant at a religious festival in Thrissur district, and a mahout was killed after being trampled by an elephant at a temple in Palakkad.
Tradition should not justify animal suffering
The tragedy calls for a critical question: how long can tradition be used to justify the suffering of these animals? The utilization of elephants for festivals is a very much a part of local culture, yet their exploitation and the deadly consequence must be disregarded. Public security and animal welfare must take precedence over tradition. Mindset change and stricter enforcement of existing regulations are required to prevent such tragedies in the future.
