Elephant Rampage at Kerala Temple Festival Kills One, Injures Another
KOCHI, India — A captive elephant brought for a temple festival in the southern Indian state of Kerala turned violent on Friday, May 1, 2026, killing one person and injuring another before being tranquilized after a nearly two-hour rampage .
The incident occurred at the Kidangoor Mahavishnu Temple in Angamaly, near Kochi, when the elephant, named Mayyanad Parthasarathy, broke free from its restraints and went on a rampage, attacking vehicles and people in the vicinity . The elephant had been brought from Kollam district for the temple’s festival .
🐘 The Rampage
The elephant was being taken for watering around 9:15 a.m. when it suddenly turned violent . Vishnu, a 40-year-old lorry driver from Kollam who had transported the elephant to the site, was killed on the spot after being grabbed by the animal’s trunk, trampled, and repeatedly gored .
The elephant’s primary mahout, identified as Pradeep, was seriously injured while trying to intervene and was admitted to a hospital, where he is reportedly recovering . An Elephant Squad from the Forest Department was deployed to contain the animal .
The rampage caused significant property damage, including flipping a Maruti Swift car multiple times and completely destroying it, as well as damaging several two-wheelers parked near the temple .
🔒 Animal Subdued After Hours
It took more than two hours to bring the elephant under control. Around noon, a veterinarian tranquilized the jumbo . Notably, immediately after being darted, the elephant became briefly more agitated and flipped over another vehicle inside the temple premises .
Gradually, the tranquilizers took effect, allowing Forest Department personnel to secure the animal with ropes to trees . A member of an elephant task force team confirmed the situation is now stable .
📰 Broader Context
In a separate incident on the same day, another elephant turned violent at the Sree Koodalmanikyam Temple in Irinjalakuda, Thrissur district, resulting in the death of a mahout .
A person associated with Mayyanad Parthasarathy noted that the elephant had previously participated in the Thrissur Pooram festival and was generally calm by nature, suggesting something specific may have triggered the event .
📋 Key Takeaways
| Aspect | Summary |
|---|---|
| Incident Date | May 1, 2026 |
| Location | Kidangoor Mahavishnu Temple, Angamaly, Kochi, Kerala |
| Elephant Name | Mayyanad Parthasarathy |
| Deceased | Vishnu (40), lorry driver from Kollam |
| Injured | Mahout Pradeep (seriously injured, recovering) |
| Property Damage | At least one car destroyed, multiple two-wheelers damaged |
| Control Method | Tranquilized by veterinarian after ~2 hours |
| Separate Incident | Second elephant attack at Sree Koodalmanikyam Temple, Thrissur resulted in mahout death |
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