Tiruchanur temple elephant Srinidhi attacks caretaker, injures him

An elephant named Srinidhi seriously injured its caretaker Chandrasekhar at Sri Padmavati Ammavari Temple in Tiruchanur on Sunday. The caretaker was shifted to SVIMS, Tirupati, for treatment after the elephant turned aggressive while being taken back to the temple cowshed

Tiruchanur: An elephant serving at the Sri Padmavati Ammavari Temple here seriously injured its caretaker after turning aggressive on Sunday evening.

The elephant, Srinidhi, and another elephant, Avanija, were brought from the temple cowshed to the main entrance through Gate No. 3, as they had been the previous day. After the conclusion of the Oonjal Seva, the elephants were being taken back to the cowshed when Srinidhi reportedly tried to attack a devotee walking ahead of it near the Ratham Mandapam.

---

When caretaker Chandrasekhar attempted to control the elephant, Srinidhi pushed him to the ground, stepped on his chest and attacked him, causing serious injuries.

Chandrasekhar was given first aid at the temple before being shifted to the Sri Venkateswara Institute of Medical Sciences (SVIMS) in Tirupati for further treatment.

The elephant’s loud trumpeting triggered panic among pilgrims in the vicinity, with many running for safety amid the confusion. The situation was brought under control after the other elephant helped calm Srinidhi, following which it was taken back to the cowshed.

Senior temple officials visited Chandrasekhar at the hospital and enquired about his condition and the circumstances surrounding the incident