A mahout and his assistant were killed after being attacked by an elephant that had participated in the 78th Poson procession at Sri Ubhayatilakārāma Temple, according to reports.
Police stated that two elephants were tethered near the temple following the conclusion of the procession on Sunday.
The tragic incident occurred on Monday morning when the mahout’s assistant took one of the elephants to the Rakwana River to give it water. The animal reportedly became aggressive without warning and attacked the assistant, causing fatal injuries.
Upon hearing the assistant’s cries for help, the mahout rushed to the scene but was also attacked by the elephant and died on the spot.
Following the incident, the elephant reportedly fled into a nearby paddy field.
Officials from the Department of Wildlife Conservation have since arrived at the location and are taking measures to tranquilize and safely capture the animal. Authorities are continuing investigations into the incident.
