Chaos at Ahmedabad Rath Yatra: Elephants Run Amok in Crowded Street, Several Injured
The 148th Jagannath Rath Yatra in Ahmedabad descended into chaos on Friday morning after three decorated elephants, part of the grand religious procession, ran amok in a densely packed old city area, injuring at least three people. The incident, which occurred around 10:15 AM in the Khadia locality, triggered widespread panic among the lakhs of devotees lining the route, forcing them to scatter for safety.
Viral videos of the incident captured the terrifying moments as one of the elephants suddenly broke ranks and charged into the narrow lanes, with its mahout struggling to regain control. The panic escalated as two other elephants also strayed from the designated path. The footage shows devotees and bystanders fleeing in terror as police personnel rushed to clear the area and avert a larger tragedy.
According to officials, the animals were reportedly startled by the loud music and whistles from DJ trucks accompanying the procession. One male elephant became particularly agitated, leading to the chaotic scene. Among the injured are a woman police constable, who received first aid at the scene, and a television cameraman who was caught in the commotion. One devotee has been admitted to Ahmedabad Civil Hospital for treatment.
The Ahmedabad City Police acted swiftly to manage the situation. In a post on X (formerly Twitter) at 10:28 AM, they confirmed, “After elephants went out of control in the Khadia area, they have been dismissed from the Rath yatra and the procession is continuing as per schedule.” Authorities, with the help of zoo officials and mahouts, managed to subdue the agitated elephants, which have since been securely moved away from the Yatra route. As a precautionary measure, officials have ordered all DJ systems and loudspeakers on trucks to be turned off for the remainder of the procession.
The annual Rath Yatra in Ahmedabad is the largest in Gujarat and second only to the Puri Yatra in scale, covering a 16-kilometre route. The procession traditionally features 18 elephants, about 100 trucks with thematic tableaux, and numerous devotional groups. An estimated 14 to 15 lakh people were expected to attend this year’s event.
To ensure safety along the route, a massive contingent of nearly 23,800 security personnel has been deployed. In a first, an Artificial Intelligence-based surveillance system was introduced this year specifically to monitor crowd density in real-time and prevent potential stampede-like situations. The system was intended to support the massive security detail managing one of the city’s largest public events.
