Elephant runs amok in busy Thrissur locality; causes panic, damage to property

On Saturday morning, May 23, 2026, panic gripped the city of Thrissur after the captive elephant Sivam Lakshmi Ayyappan turned violent and went berserk in many populated and residential areas, causing widespread damage.

The incident took place near Paramekkavu temple when the elephant was being bathed. According to eyewitnesses, the agitated elephant broke control and ran towards Palace Road, causing pedestrians and motorists to flee.

The elephant passed through important places such as the Town Hall area, Northern Bus Stand and Chembukkavu before entering residential areas in Chembukkavu and Cherur. Many two-wheelers and cars were damaged during the attack. The walls of the estate were destroyed and in many cases the elephant entered the premises of the houses, damaging tin roofs, uprooting trees and destroying vehicles parked inside the estates.

The woman in the overturned car escaped uninjured

The woman who was trapped in one of the vehicles attacked by the elephant miraculously escaped. The car was overturned by the elephant. However, after the elephant left the scene, Sangeetha was taken out unharmed by the local people.

Residents in the affected areas were terrified as the elephant charged through narrow roads and residential areas.

The elephant also suffered multiple injuries during the attack.

elephant subdued

The elephant team came to the scene and started working to control the situation. The animal, which started running around 09:00 in the morning, was neutralized around 10:30 after tense operations that lasted about an hour.

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

Meanwhile, news photographers who took photos of the elephant attack were attacked by some people, which led to protests.