KOCHI: A tusker brought for the festival at the Ponnurunni Temple turned violent on Wednesday night and destroyed the compound wall, an electric post and other structures in the temple premises. However, there were no casualty. The elephant, Chanmanikkad Vijayan from Kottayam, was later chained after being tranquilised. The first mahout Babu and second mahout Baby C K had a miraculous escape. The temple priests - Vishnu and Pradeep - who were sitting on the back of the elephant, also escaped unhurt. Pradeep was later taken to the hospital. Another man, Pradeep, broke his leg while trying to flee. The animal created a panic-like situation within the temple premises for more than half-an-hour. The elephant turned violent around 8.50 pm when it was in the midst of temple festivities at Sreenarayaneswaram Temple, Ponnurunni. Temporary structures within the temple, its compound wall, the roof and a portion of the pillar of the Sree Narayaneswaram LP School which is inside the temple compound and an electric post at the temple were destroyed. According to eye-witnesses, four people were sitting on the tusker when it turned violent. Two of them jumped immediately after the mahout signalled them about the elephant turning violent. Veterinarian Dr T harakan came to the spot and tranquillised the elephant.
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