Elephant forced to carry heavy cargo goes on rampage in India: Golden idol breaks (video)

A traditional religious ceremony in India unexpectedly turned into serious unrest and mass panic.

On October 21, as part of the famous religious festival «Dasara» celebrated across the country, an elephant forced to carry a giant idol made of silver and gold weighing 650 kilograms could not withstand the excessive load and noise, and went berserk.

Staggering weight and uncontrollable rampage

According to reports, the primary reason for the animal's sudden fury and change of direction was the excessively heavy sacred object loaded onto its back:

• Threat to human lives: The out-of-control giant elephant suddenly changed its direction sharply, directly posing a danger to hundreds of pilgrims and spectators gathered at the ceremony;

• Major damage and crushed cars: During the chaos, the animal crushed several vehicles in its path and damaged surrounding structures;

  • Breakage of the sacred idol: During the rampage, the rare idol made of hundreds of kilograms of gold and silver, considered sacred by Hindus, fell to the ground and suffered significant damage.

Treatment of animals at the center of debate

This unpleasant incident not only terrified festival participants but also sparked sharp debates among the Indian public and animal rights activists. The public is demanding an end to the practice of using elephants and other animals for such heavy and cruel cargo transportation purposes in religious events.