Elephants run amok at Kurunegala perahera

By Pushpakumara Jayaratne

A mahout at the annual Dalada Poson Perehera in Kurunegala was injured last Friday night when he was attacked by one of three elephants who ran amok.

The victim has been admitted to Kurunegala base hospital. Two of the elephants belonged to the Dalada Maligawa while the third belonged to the Etkanda Viharaya in Kurunegala.

Hospitals sources said the condition of the mahout was not serious and he had been attacked by one of the Maligawa elephants.
As a result of the incident a commotion arose and many who came to see the perehera fled the area in fear.

The animals that had run amok were finally tied up and Ven. Kumbulle Seelathchandha Thera said the situation had calmed down within an hour and the perahera successfully concluded.