Elephant gores owner to death. Picture for representational purpose
An elephant owner was gored to death, while he was trying to pacify it. The man killed has been identified as Babu Thomas (49), Ozhakkal, Poonjar, one of the owners of Pala Timbers.
The tusker called Shekharan alias Kichan, had been chained at Babu's property during the last few days as he was not well. Shekharan again showed symptoms of 'musth' when he was moving timber at Muppathekkar, Mangalagiri, near Theekkoy. Babu, who came to know about it, arrived at the spot and went near the elephant with some fruit to placate it.
The elephant gored Babu who died on the spot. Although the first mahot, also named Babu, was riding the elephant, he wasn't able to control the violent animal.
The animal then ran back to the place where he was chained in the morning through the road.
Although the mahot, and Shaul from Erattupetta chained the elephant again, it kept on trying to break free. It even uprooted rubber trees near it. After that, the elephant let the mahout come down. The animal was calmed down after a tranquilliser shot was fired at it by Dr. Sabu Issac of Elephant Squad, Kottayam.
Comment: Apparently the hole may have exposed a tunnel through which 19th century politicians would sneak in and out of a brothel! Nowadays, of course, they don't bother going to such lengths to hide their predilections.
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