SHIVAMOGGA: The Jamboo Savari, part of the grand Dasara procession of the city, was cancelled after elephant Somanna, carrying the howdah with the Chamundeshwari idol, was frightened by the crowd and ran helter-skelter, just a few minutes after the procession was flagged off here on Wednesday.
The incident occurred near Vithal Mandir on Kote Road after the Jamboo Savari and Dasara procession started in the city. The silver howdah tied to the back of elephant Somanna fell off and broke into pieces. No one was hurt in the incident, but the disturbed elephant damaged a car and a couple of bikes.
Disturbed by the crowd, the elephant carrying the howdah started running backwards towards Vasavi School, where these elephants had been kept for training for the Jamboo Savari for the past one week. Both mahouts and kavadis had a tough time controlling the disturbed male elephant Somanna.
Forest officials tranquilised the panicked elephant. Later, they brought the elephant to the premises of Kote Anjaneya Swamy Temple. The police also had a tough task chasing the crowd away from the incident site.