Did a cat make Kerala tusker run uncontrolled?

Thiruvananthapuram, Nov 26 For around three hours on Friday, panic reigned near Kerala's Kottarakara when male tusker Manikandan went uncontrolled for nearly six km, officials said.

According to sources, a cat reportedly spooked the elephant, brought to take part in a temple festival near Kottarakara, about 70 km from Thiruvanthapuram.

Some others, however, claimed that trouble began when the jumbo was being taken for a quick bath and the mahouts lost control and it took to the main road.

As police came, a massive crowd of onlookers to gathered to see the elephant, which started to walk on the main road for about 6 kms, but did not cause any damage.

Apprehending things could get out of hand, a group of experienced Forest Department officials was summoned and even though they had come prepared to give a tranquiliser shot, it was not needed as the mahouts and the officials successfully managed to tame Manikandan and soon it was chained, and people took a sigh of relief.

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