An elephant which turned violent killed both its mahouts besides
creating a ruckus in Champakkara in Kottayam district on Thursday.
Gopinathan Nair, 60, from Karukachal and Akhil (Kannan), 30, from
Ithithanam were killed. It was the elephant Channanikkad Ayyappan
which had turned violent round 3pm. The elephant floored the first
mahout Nair before goring him to death. Following this the elephant
ran out of the compound and the second mahout Kannan was killed while
he tried to chain the elephant. Gopinathan succumbed to injuries while
being taken to the hospital while Kannan succumbed to injuries at the
Medical College Hospital.
The elephant which had turned violent ran nearly seven kilometres
before tranquilised by veterinary surgeon Sabu C Issac of the elephant
squad by around 4.30pm. The local residents went through tense moments
for over an hour.
The Elephant had turned violent at the compound of Vasudev Kurup. The
elephant was brought here for shifting timber lying in the compound.
It was chained to a tree in the compound by both the mahouts in the
morning after it showed signs of violence. It attacked Gopinathan by
breaking the chains when the mahout had come near the elephant in the
afternoon. Nair was knocked off his feet by its legs and floored him
and then gored him. After this it went out of the compound and ran
through the road.
The second mahout followed him. The elephant entered
Kottayam-Kozhenchery road and reached Koothrappally crossing Subhash
Junction. From here it turned to Palamattam Road. The second mahout
got stuck in front of the elephant and he was lifted using the trunk
and was pressed against a nearby wall fatally injuring him.