© E V RageshThe elephant that killed two mahouts at Karukanchal being brought under control
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.
It sounds to me like this and other elephants have had enough of their slavery and the impossible attitudes toward them. Patience runs out and the run for freedom is in us all. The Indian people can explain it away all they like, but this and other similar stories speak for themselves. My heart goes out to the elephant, not its slave mahouts.