Elephant Goes On Rampage After Hearing Firecrackers At Wedding, Forces Groom To Flee [Video]

An elephant that was hired to be part of a wedding procession in India went on a rampage after getting agitated by the noise of bursting firecrackers. A video of the incident showed the guests and the groom run for cover.

The incident took place Friday in the city of Prayagraj in the state of Uttar Pradesh. When Anand Tripathi’s wedding procession, including the elephant, reached the bride's village, the latter's family members burst some firecrackers to welcome the guests.

The jumbo then lost its cool, and charged at anything that came in its way, destroying the marquee set up for the occasion and overturning at least four vehicles at the venue, The Times of India reported, citing Rakesh Chaurasia, Station House Officer at Sarai Inayat Police station.

A video of the incident showed Tripathi arriving at his wedding venue sitting in a carriage decorated with neon lights and flanked by some horses and elephants. Upon hearing the sound of the firecrackers, the jumbo is seen creating a ruckus, overturning two cars and a few bikes with its trunk.

The groom and some guests were seen fleeing the spot after watching the dramatic situation unfold. In the middle of the mayhem, a man is seen desperately trying to untie a horse from a carriage as people run in different directions to save their lives.

The video footage of the harrowing incident has since gone viral on social media.

It was initially reported the mahout of the elephant was killed in the rampage, but Chaurasia called the claims baseless and said the man was unhurt, according to Times Now News. The mahout managed to tackle the unruly elephant after some time. No injuries were reported in the incident.

Elephants are rented for wedding processions in India to showcase wealth and flamboyance.