According to sources Thechikkottukavu Ramachandran, the controversial temple elephant in kerala, whose ban from Thrissur Pooram triggered protests in the district was allowed to be paraded at the Pooram Vilamvaram on Sunday evening. Meanwhile, this after the elephant was given permission to be paraded on Sunday morning during the inaugural ceremony of the program. Furthermore, at 9:30 pm, he was brought to the grounds around the Vadakunnathan temple in a vehicle and he was then paraded at the temple carrying the idol of the Neythalakkavu Bhagavathy, which was handed over to him by another elephant Devidasan.
Reportedly Ramachandran or Raman, was banned by the district administration from being paraded in the Thrissur Pooram. Apparently the decision was taken after the Forest Department declared the elephant medically unfit and the 54 year old tusker, who is the tallest domesticated elephant in kerala at 10.5 feet, is blind in one eye and afflicted with cataract in the other. Further in two decades, Raman has trampled to death 13 people and 3 elephants and the latest death happened in February 2019, when two people were trampled to death by the tusker at a house warming ceremony in Guruvayur.
Moreover the kerala elephant owner’s federation threatened to withdraw all their elephants from Thrissur Pooram if the ban on Raman was not lifted. Hence following the kerala High Court’s decision to not intervene and let the Thrissur district collector take a stand on the issue, the district council after a meeting and amid immense pressure.
