Hyderabad: Edgy jumbo has procession tense

Hyderabad: A tense situation prevailed when the elephant Rajani became restless during the procession of the Bibi-ka-Alam on Sunday. The mahout managed to calm her down. No one was injured in the incident.

Rajani was uneasy ever since her arrival at Purani Haveli from the Nehru zoo at about 12.30 pm. South Zone DCP V. Satyanarayana said, “We informed the organisers of the procession about the elephant. They assured us that they would clear the area in front of the Bibi-ka-Alawa. We also made announcements through a public address system, asking the people to vacate the narrow lane demarcated for the procession.”The elephant arrived at the Bibi-ka-Alawa at around 1.20 pm. 

The alam was brought out of the ashoorkhana and handed over to the alambardar to be mounted atop the elephant. 

At that point, the elephant began trumpeting and started walking forward.

“We immediately used mild force to disperse the people who had gathered in the lane outside the Bibi-ka-Alawa. There would have been no escape route for them had the elephant run wild,” said Mr Satyanarayana. . 

A similar incident had occurred outside the Bibi-ka-Alawa two years ago, when a restless elephant marched into the crowd before being restrained by its handlers. 

On Sunday, the procession continued peacefully after the animal was brought under control. It proceeded through Shaik Faiz Kaman, Yakutpura road, Etebar Chowk, Alijah Kotla, Charminar, Gulzar Houz, Panjesha, Mandi Mir Alam, Darulshifa and Chaderghat. 

Along the procession route, members of the Shia community performed matam. Sherbat, juices and food were distributed along the way. Religious gatherings were held at various Sunni mosques in the city. 

Hyderabad police commissioner M. Mahender Reddy, Mr Satyanarayana, officials of the GHMC and the Water Board offered dhatti to the alam.