Lost and Found: Elephant located after escape during film shoot in Kothamangalam

Kochi: The domesticated jumbo Puthuppally Sadhu which ran into the forest in panic following a clash with another elephant from a film shoot set near Boothathankettu in Kothamangalam, Ernakulam, has been found. The search team located the elephant near the old forest station. The forest guards reported that the elephant is healthy and efforts are underway to bring it out of the forest. The mahouts have reached the elephant. The elephant is about four kilometres deep into the forest, according to the information.

The elephant ran into the forest during the shooting of a Telugu movie, starring Telugu superstar Vijay Deverakonda. During the filming, the two elephants – Sadhu and Manikandan clashed. Sadhu then fled into the forest after being attacked. As the elephant panicked and ran amok, the film crew temporarily stopped the shoot and left. Despite extensive searches by the Forest Department personnel, the elephant could not be found. The search was called off at night, and it was only during the search on Saturday morning that the elephant was found.

Five elephants were brought for the shoot. At around 5 pm, the chains were removed to film a scene of the elephants crossing the road. It was during this time that Manikandan attacked Sadhu which then ran into the forest.

Puthuppally’s 'Sadhu' (harmless) elephant

Kottayam: The elephant named Sadhu, which ran into the forest during the shoot near Bhoothathankettu, lives up to its name. It follows all the tasks assigned by its mahout's commands. Among elephants that are known to lose control at the sight of water, Sadhu has the unique quality of being reluctant to enter waters. He minds his own business, consuming food and water provided to him.

This well-trained elephant was acquired in 1999 by Pothan Varghese, a resident of Puthuppally, from Arunachal Pradesh. Since it's a domesticated elephant, authorities initially tried to locate it using mahouts. Sadhu, who once earned the ‘Gajarajarathna’ title at the Ithithanam Gajamela, is beloved by the locals.