An elephant runs amok in a busy locality of Thrissur; causes panic, damage to property

Panic gripped the city of Thrissur on Saturday morning (May 23, 2026) after a captive elephant, Sivam Lakshmi Ayyappan, turned violent and ran amok into several busy and residential areas, causing widespread damage.

The incident occurred near the Paramekkavu temple when the elephant was taking a bath. According to eyewitnesses, the agitated elephant broke the check and ran into Palace Road, causing pedestrians and motorists to flee.

The elephant moved through key locations including the Town Hall area, North Bus Stand and Chembukkavu before entering residential areas in Chembukkavu and Cherur. Several two-wheelers and cars were damaged during the rampage. The walls of the complex were knocked down and in many cases the elephant entered the premises of the house, damaged tin roofs, uprooted trees and destroyed vehicles parked in the premises.

The woman in the overturned car escaped without injury

A woman who was trapped in one of the cars attacked by the elephant managed to miraculously escape. The car was overturned by an elephant. However, Sangeetha was later brought out unharmed by local people after the elephant left the scene.

Residents of the affected areas were terrified as the elephant made its way through narrow roads and residential complexes.

The elephant also sustained multiple injuries during the rampage.

The elephant subdued

The elephant commando reached the spot and started efforts to bring the situation under control. The animal, which started running around 9:00 a.m., was finally put down at around 10:30 a.m. after nearly an hour of tense operations.

No casualties have been reported so far, but the incident left significant property damage and raised concerns about safety precautions when handling captive elephants in urban areas.

Meanwhile, some people attacked news photographers who were taking pictures of the elephant rampage, sparking a protest.

Published – 23 May 2026 11:50 IST