The Shimoga Dasara elephant incident has raised concerns over animal welfare, public safety and enforcement of noise restrictions after Somanna, a 36-year-old elephant carrying a silver howdah, panicked during the city’s grand procession and ran through the streets on October 22. No injuries were reported, but the 450-kg silver howdah was damaged, along with two cars and three motorcycles.
According to a report by Prajavani, Somanna had been brought from a camp a few days before the procession and was carrying the howdah for the first time. The elephant reportedly became frightened while moving through crowded and narrow roads during the Dasara event. Forest Department personnel struggled to bring the animal under control before veterinary doctors Anand and Muralimanohar administered a tranquiliser.
The incident prompted actress Ramya to question whether Somanna should have been used in the procession. In a post on X, she said the elephant appeared to have been limping in a video recorded before the event and suggested that it required immediate medical attention. She also questioned whether a truck could have been arranged to take the animal for treatment instead of making it participate in a crowded public procession.
Ramya said Somanna had been brought from a camp specifically for the procession and became frightened while moving through a densely populated area. She expressed concern that the elephant could have been blamed and punished if people had been injured. Her comments placed the incident within a wider question about the use of camp elephants in urban religious and cultural processions.
The reported damage included the silver howdah, two cars and three two-wheelers. The source said forest staff eventually controlled the elephant after the veterinary team used a tranquiliser. It did not report any human injuries or provide details on the extent of Somanna’s injuries after the incident.
Ramya also criticised the reported use of firecrackers and loudspeakers in Shivamogga during the night. Referring to Supreme Court restrictions, she said firecrackers were prohibited between 10 pm and 6 am, and that loudspeakers could not be used after midnight even where special permission had been granted. She questioned the continued use of fireworks and loud music at around 3 am at Fun World.
Her objection also focused on the residential and institutional setting around the celebration. She pointed to nearby hospitals and neighbourhoods where senior citizens and children live, arguing that prolonged noise could disturb residents. The source did not include a response from the organisers, the Shivamogga civic administration, the police or the Forest Department to the allegations about late-night fireworks and loudspeakers.
Ramya appealed to Minister Ramalinga Reddy to intervene and ensure that Somanna receives appropriate treatment. She also called for a complete ban on using camp elephants in such processions in the interest of animal welfare. The next reported step is the proposed intervention for Somanna’s medical care; details of the elephant’s condition and any official review of the procession were not provided in the source report.
