Compiled by C.ARUNO, DIYANA PFORDTEN and R. ARAVINTHAN
TEMPLE elephants that went rogue in Sri Lanka sent devotees running in fear, causing a stampede that severely injured 13 people, Malaysia Nanban reported.
The incident took place at a temple in Kathirkamam, about 280km south of the island nation’s capital city Colombo.
Two fully decorated elephants were being brought into the temple in a procession when they suddenly became restless, supposedly because of the loud noises from bells hanging from their drapes.
The guides had reportedly aggressively tried to rein in the elephants, causing the animals to become fearful and start trumpeting loudly.
This caused devotees there to feel afraid and, as they ran, some trampled others around them.
Reports said that 13 people were injured and are being treated in hospitals. No deaths were reported.
Animal welfare activists slammed the treatment of the elephants following the incident.
The above articles are compiled from the vernacular newspapers (Bahasa Malaysia, Chinese and Tamil dailies). As such, stories are grouped according to the respective language/medium. Where a paragraph begins with a, it denotes a separate news item.
