Toddler's father arrested over dangerous incident involving tusker Haripad Skandan

HARIPAD: Police filed a case against the father of the toddler, who also happens to be the mahout, for dangerously performing a ritual and dropping the infant on the ground, just centimetres away from the elephant’s feet. The Haripad police arrested Abhilash from Perumbavoor. He is the temporary mahout of the elephant.

Devaswom mahout Jithin Raj was taken into custody the other day in connection with the incident. The arrest was made in a case initiated by the Haripad police. Jithin was taken into custody under sections such as negligent conduct with respect to an animal, and an act endangering human life or the personal safety of others. A case has also been registered under the Juvenile Justice Act. Abhilash, a native of Kottiyam, was the infant’s father.

A video of a six-month-old baby being placed on the trunk of the elephant went viral on social media. After slipping off the trunk, the baby fell to the ground, near the elephant’s giant feet, but barely escaped with a head injury.

Abhilash tried to place the baby on the trunk of Haripad Skandan, the infamous elephant of the Haripad temple that killed a mahout just three months ago. The footage shows the baby's head hitting the chain on the elephant's leg during the fall.