Wed Mar 05 18:47:53 UTC 2025: ## Rampaging Elephants Claim Six Lives Amid Kerala Festival Season
**Thrissur, Kerala – March 6, 2025** – A surge in violent incidents involving elephants during Kerala’s festival season has resulted in six deaths and 64 injuries, sparking serious concerns about animal welfare and public safety. The Heritage Animal Task Force reports 74 elephants have run amok since the start of the festivities, with 12 individuals sustaining critical injuries.
The escalating problem is attributed to inadequate oversight of elephants participating in temple celebrations. According to V.K. Venkitachalam, secretary of the Task Force, many elephants paraded are either in “musth” (a period of heightened aggression), have violent histories, or possess fraudulent health certificates. Many are also reportedly handicapped or ill.
Violations of existing regulations, including limits on parade duration and transportation times, are widespread. The rules stipulate a six-hour limit on parades, prohibition of consecutive day appearances, and restrictions on transportation between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. Furthermore, no more than three elephants should be present at temple grounds simultaneously. These regulations are frequently ignored, resulting in tragic consequences.
February alone witnessed five fatalities due to elephant rampages. One incident involved two elephants going on a rampage at a Koyilandi festival, killing three people. Other deaths occurred in Chittattukara and Koottanad. A total of nine people died in elephant attacks in 2024.
With the festival season far from over, concerns are mounting about the potential for further loss of life. The urgent need for stricter enforcement of existing regulations and improved animal welfare measures is being highlighted as a matter of critical public safety. A lifesize robotic elephant model is being developed as an alternative for use in religious festivals.
First Piper 