A religious ceremony in Sri Lanka ended in chaos when an elephant went berserk, leaving 18 people badly injured during a procession.
In a video, widely circulated online, the elephant, which was not just decorated with artificial jewellery but covered with LED lights, suddenly turned violent and started running amid bursting firecrackers and drummers.
Dramatic video shows an elephant startle and charge through a crowded Buddhist pageant in Sri Lanka, injuring 18 people. https://t.co/51bbfLqR7i pic.twitter.com/qZ80wKgNbH
— ABC News (@ABC) September 9, 2019
According to multiple media reports, 18 people were injured in the incident. The wounded were rushed to hospital, 16 of them were discharged soon after but two of them remain under medical supervision, one for abdominal injuries and another with an injured ear.
Authorities could not immediately confirm what caused the incident, and a probe has been launched.
The annual event, known as the Festival of Tooth is celebrated to pay homage to the sacred Buddhist tooth relic at the Sri Dalada Maligawa Temple in Kandy.
Thousands of people take part in the parade, with drummers, dancers, and numerous elephants drawing a large number of pilgrims and tourists.
