The elephant that fled due to the firecrackers attacked two people.

Inginiyagala Police state that a local woman and a man were injured and hospitalized after being attacked by a wild elephant in Kethsirigama village, which falls under the Inginiyagala Police division. This unexpected incident was reported between 6:30 AM and 7:00 AM on the 23rd of last month.

According to wildlife officials, the wild elephant entered the village from Gal Oya National Park during the night. Subsequently, to drive away this wild elephant, which was hiding in a thicket near the lower paddy fields of Kethsirigama, residents lit elephant crackers.

While being driven away, the agitated elephant crossed a canal and fled through the middle of Kethsirigama village towards the Ekgal Oya reserve. While doing so, the wild elephant attacked the aforementioned woman and man whom it encountered at two different locations on a side road.

The two Kethsirigama residents injured in the attack were immediately admitted to Daman Hospital by locals, and subsequently transferred to Ampara General Hospital for further treatment. According to hospital sources, their condition is not critical, but the male victim sustained damage to one of his legs.