Thrissur police were left dealing with traffic snarl in the city caused by a wandering elephant which could not find its way ahead after the mahout, reportedly under the influence of alcohol ,didn't prod the elephant on. The mahout who was atop the elephant left the animal pick its way and resultantly the elephant roamed around the streets, occasionally halting at junctions.
All these while the mahout was sitting on the elephant. Swaraj round which generally doesn't experience traffic block witnessed heavy congestion after the elephant lost its way without getting any cue from the mahout.
The police reached the spot and despite the cops asking him to move the elephant, the mahout named Siyad refused to pay any heed. Later the cops persuaded him to guide the elephant towards the house of the owner.
Siyad, the mahout from Kurkanjeri, was with an elephant named Ganesan, owned by Najeel of Kadakkachaal House.
The owner, Najeel, is currently undergoing treatment at a hospital in Kozhikode. The cops suspect that the mahout may have been under the influence of alcohol. Police however did not confirm why the mahout was unable to control the elephant.
