Uttar Pradesh: On Thursday afternoon, a religious procession known as the ‘kalash yatra’ turned deadly when an elephant went on a rampage in Mohammadpur Mafi village in Gorakhpur district, Uttar Pradesh. Two women and a five-year-old boy were trampled to death. The procession was being taken out by the residents of the village when the elephant attacked Kaushlaya Devi, who was offering food to the animal, and her grandson Krishna. Their neighbor, Kanti Devi, who attempted to rescue them, was also attacked. The bodies were sent for post-mortem examination, and no FIR has been lodged into the matter so far.
Deadly Rampage of Elephant during Religious Procession
Forest Department officials were informed of the situation, and a team arrived at the village to tranquilize the animal, which was kept nearly 2 kilometres from the village. The elephant was one of two brought to the yatra, and its owner has yet to be identified. The incident occurred when the yatra was about to start, and the police said that the residents were taking out the ‘kalash yatra’ on the first day of ‘Shri Laxman Narayan Mahayaga,’ which is being held in the village from February 16 to February 24. The villagers claimed that the elephant lifted Kaushlaya with its trunk, threw her on the ground and trampled her along with Krishna to death.
Efforts to Control the Elephant and Identifying its Owner
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh each to the families of the deceased. According to Gorakhpur Additional Superintendent of Police Manoj Kumar Awasthi, “One of the two elephants brought to the yatra went berserk. We are yet to trace the owner of the animal.” The incident highlights the danger posed by elephants during religious processions and the importance of proper measures to ensure the safety of both humans and animals.
Importance of Ensuring Safety for Humans and Animals during Religious Processions
In conclusion, the tragic incident in Mohammadpur Mafi village underscores the risks associated with religious processions that involve elephants. The elephant’s owner has yet to be identified, and forest department officials had to intervene to tranquilize the animal. The compensation offered by the Chief Minister is a small consolation for the families of the victims. The incident serves as a reminder that the safety of both humans and animals must be ensured during religious processions, and adequate precautions must be taken to prevent such tragedies in the future.
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