Kotte: At least 18 people were injured when an elephant taking part in a Buddhist pageant in Sri Lanka has run berserk.
Video on Derana Television of Saturday night's pageant in Kotte, near Colombo, showed an elephant in a procession suddenly running berserk causing a havoc.
That elephant became violent and ran, pushing onlookers standing on the two sides of the path.
Panic gripped the crowd and they started to run because of the fear of the elephant.
A man riding on the elephant fell off and narrowly escaped from being trampled.
Officials from two hospitals said on Monday some people were discharged while others are still receiving treatment.
Of the remaining two, one is being observed for possible abdominal damage and the other is being treated for an injured ear, they said.
Ornately decorated elephants are a major attraction in Sri Lankan Buddhist pageants.
Wealthy families own captive elephants as a symbol of their prosperity, pride and nobility and send their elephants to participate in pageants around the country.
Some Buddhist temples also own elephants.
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