Puttur, Jan 2: An incident of an elephant going on a rampage while being transported in a truck causing panic among people and nearly costing the driver of the truck and its mahout their life, has been reported from Puttur.
The incident happened when 'Lakshmeesha', the elephant belonging to a certain Karunakar Suvarna of Uppinangady was being transported from Puttur to Sullia where it was supposed to carry wooden logs. But just as the truck approached the Puttur bus stand, the elephant started behaving strangely and tried to throw out the driver from his cabin with its trunk.
Sensing danger, the driver moved the vehicle forward and stopped it near Yelmudi. The elephant tried to grab him but he managed to escape from its hold jumping off the cabin.
The elephant then threw the mahout Chandran of Kerala's Kalpetta from the cabin with its trunk. Although he had a fall, he sustained minor injuries.
Eyewitnesses said that the elephant got wild after the driver applied sudden brakes when an auto rickshaw came in its way, resulting in the elephant being hit on its head as it hit the rear portion of the driver's cabin.
Puttur police, Puttur Forest Department officials, and fire service personnel arrived at the spot to see that there is no further damage. The fire service personnel splashed water on the elephant to cool it down. Karunakar Suvarna, the owner of the elephant, also arrived at the spot and tried to pacify the elephant himself.
Since the elephant had unleashed its fury on the mahout, its earlier mahout from Madikeri was called for. When he tried to calm the elephant down, it tried to throw him away as well. With greater rage, it started damaging the truck and attempted to jump off.
Personnel from different departments tried to handle the elephant all the way till night. Police had to use mild lathi charge to drive people away who had gathered at the spot in large numbers. Another elephant was later brought to the spot with the help of which, 'Lakshmeesha' was injected with tranquilizers. The elephant has now been tied to one of the trees.
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