Panic descended on a Hindu festival in South India after one of the elephants that participated in a ceremonial procession went on a rampage on January 19.<br /><br />The 21-year-old male elephant, Gouri Nandan, went berserk ploughing into the crowd and injuring several onlookers.<br /><br />A group of spectators ran behind the animal, trying to restrain it. <br /><br />Officials, who were at the spot, shot a tranquiliser at the elephant and brought it to heel. <br /><br />Two priests, who had mounted the elephant, stayed on top for the most part of the nearly two-hour ordeal clinging on to each other. <br /><br />The organisers of the festival had brought in 15 elephants to take part in the ceremonial procession at Maha Ganapathy temple in Kerala. <br /><br />Animal rights activist Rajeev N Kurup alleged that the elephant had gone berserk due to torture and overexertion. <br /><br />“The elephants suffered serious wounds on their chest and legs due to the use of bull hook – a banned tool - by the mahouts. We have complained against festival organisers for flouting all regulations on parading elephants,” he said.<br /><br />Activists have sought a ban on using elephants in religious ceremonies as they subject the animals to severe torture and exertion.
