Ceremony in Sri Lanka

Elephant panicked and injured 13 people

An elephant panicked during a religious ceremony in Sri Lanka and injured 13 people. A keeper had tried to pull the enraged animal by the tail to keep it under control - but to no avail.

The accident occurred on Saturday in Kataragama, around 280 kilometers south of the capital Colombo. Video footage shows an elephant completely wrapped in a red and gold cloak and taking part in the Hindu procession. It was one of several four-legged animals and was obviously very excited. A keeper is still trying to pull the elephant by the tail and keep it under control. But he is unsuccessful.

The animal panics and injures 13 people who are trying to flee from it. The injured were all taken to hospital but have already been discharged, the police said.

You can see a journalist's video here.

Not an isolated case
Elephants are considered sacred in Sri Lanka and are often used in temple ceremonies, but the organizers rarely adhere to laws against cruelty to animals. In the past, the four-legged animals have also gotten out of control during parades with loud music and fireworks. In August, five excited young animals injured several people in the city of Kandy. Dozens of pilgrims fled into a lake to escape.

According to official figures, there are around 200 domesticated elephants in Sri Lanka, plus around 7500 in the wild. Capturing wild specimens is generally prohibited, but it does happen. The kidnappers often kill the mothers of the calves beforehand.