Shivamogga Dasara: Did MLA instruct officers to change order of elephants?
A Dasara procession in Shivamogga, Karnataka, was cancelled after an elephant carrying the howdah panicked and ran into the crowd. Officials suggest the incident was triggered by a last-minute change in the order of the elephants, allegedly ordered by a local MLA.
Why it matters
The incident raises concerns about public safety protocols and political interference in administrative and cultural event management.
Shivamogga Dasara: Did MLA instruct officers to change order of elephants? left Somanna, the elephant that carried the howdah. S.K. Dinesh S.K. Dinesh https://th-i.thgim.com/public/incoming/x0phfa/article71620558.ece/alternates/FREE_1200/9911_21_10_2026_19_3_19_1_DASARA06.JPG S_K_Dinesh Shivamogga Karnataka 21-10-2026 The procession - Jamboo Savari - to mark the conclusion of Dasara celebrations, began well in Shivamogga on Wednesday. However, within minutes Somanna, the elephant carrying the howdah, ran helter-skelter, forcing the authorities cancelling the Jamboo Savari. Photo by S.K. Dinesh Shivamogga The scary scenes during the Dasara celebrations in Shivamogga on Thursday, October 22, were allegedly triggered by a last-minute change in the order of the elephants in the procession. Forest officials and mahouts had resolved that Sagar, the tusker that carried the howdah in previous years, would lead the group of three elephants. Somanna, the elephant chosen to carry the howdah this time, was participating in the procession for the first time and had hardly been exposed to crowds.
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