UP: Elephant crushes three to death during Gorakhpur's Kailash Yatra

An elephant trampled three persons, including a child after it went berserk during kalash yatra rituals in Gorakhpur. Police and forest department are investigating into the incident. UP CM has announced Rs 5 lakh compensation for kin of the bereaved persons.

Gorakhpur: Three persons, including a child, died after being trampled by an elephant, who went berserk in the crowded Mohammadpur Mafi village in Gorakhpur on Thursday. The incident occurred after an elephant was brought to participate in the rituals of the kalash yatra ceremony in the Jagatbela area here.

The cermony saw a huge footfall. While many people gathered near the elephant, some of them also started taking selfies with it. The loud noise of the ceremonies irritated the animal. Apparently baffled by the commotion, the elephant broke loose and started running on the streets, towards the fields.

Some people went ahead to stop the animal from creating havoc. In an attempt in doing so, a woman with her grandchild and a man fell on the ground and were trampled upon by the elephant. While the three succumbed to their injuries, many others were injured in the incident. Villagers said the elephant also caused heavy damage to crops in several fields.

As soon as the information was conveyed, a team from the forest department in Lucknow left for Gorakhpur to rescue the elephant. The animal was first tranquilized and then captured. The police and the forest department officials are investigating the incident.

"We are first bringing the elephant under control by taming it before probing as to how the incident occurred. We are conducting a thorough investigation," senior Forest Department official Sunil Chaudhary said. Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath, who is in Gorakhpur, has condoled the deaths and announced compensation worth Rs 5 lakhs each to the kin of the deceased persons.