Video Shows Elephant Pulling Stuck Toyota Fortuner Out Of River In Kerala
The video shared on Instagram opens to show a white Toyota Fortuner SUV stuck in a shallow river, with only the front left wheel visible above the water. The situation appeared dire until a mahout, accompanied by his elephant, Thiruvegappura Sankaranarayanan, arrived on the scene. The elephant successfully dragged the vehicle, weighing between 2,105 kg and 2,135 kg, out of the water body within minutes. Notably, the Toyota Fortuner's gross vehicle weight can reach up to 2,735 kg, making the elephant's feat even more impressive.
The video was shared on Instagram with the caption, "Thiruvegappura Sankaranarayanan… Our little elephant…".
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Said Alavikoya (@saidkoya90)
Elephants have been revered in Indian culture for centuries, worshipped for their wisdom, strength, and loyalty, and have played a significant role in many Indian dynasties. The viral video is a perfect example of their capabilities, demonstrating how these majestic animals can provide valuable assistance to humans in challenging situations.
The video sparked widespread praise, with many celebrating the animal's power and agility.
One user wrote, "We use elephants instead of tow trucks—eco-friendly and majestic."
Another commented, "This Fortuner in front of the elephant looks like a Maruti 800."
A third said, "Pulled like a toy."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hindustan Times
6 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Reddy and setting Indian motor racing on the speedway
What's the most attention-grabber way to introduce Akhilesh Reddy? Call him India's Bernie? Reddy laughs at the suggestion and says, 'yes, you can say that'. (Think circuits, lanes and pits and you'll work out which Bernie). How about his own definition of what he's been up to for the past three years – 'more of a madness' – heading into its fourth edition this week? Let's put a price on the madness – a spend of about €50-60 million (approx. ₹50-60 crore) over three years. The Indian Racing League (IRL), the world's first city-centric, gender-neutral motor-racing franchise competition is the flagship event, one of the festival's three categories of races. (HT) Questions ranging from 'what', 'whatever for' and 'why on earth' come rushing. But Hyderabad-based Reddy is linked to creating, he says, ecosystems, pathways, and with it, an awareness of Indian motorsports at a time he believes is just right for his investment in finance, energy and emotion into his thought-through madness. This weekend marked the start of the Indian Racing Festival, a season of five racing weekends, owned and promoted by Reddy's Racing Promotions Private Limited (RPPL). The Indian Racing League (IRL), the world's first city-centric, gender-neutral motor-racing franchise competition is the flagship event, one of the festival's three categories of races. The IRL has six teams, with combination of superstar/businessmen owners – the Goa Aces (John Abraham), Kolkata Royal Tigers (Sourav Ganguly), Kichas Kings Bengaluru (Bengaluru-based movie star Kichcha Sudeep), Speed Demons Delhi (Arjun Kapoor), Hyderabad Blackbirds (Telugu film star Naga Chaithanya), and the Chennai Turbo Riders who are owned by Dr. Swetha Sundeep Anand of the Accord Group of Hotels, headed by its director Ranjith Amizdhan. Each team fields four drivers, two per car, including one woman. The first three races will take place on Coimbatore's Kari Motor Speedway (Aug 15-17 and Oct 3-5) and the Madras International Circuit (Aug 22-24). The venues for the last two weeks are not yet announced but they could feature that rare sighting: an Indian street race, like the one held in Chennai in last year's IRL. Besides Indian drivers, this year's IRL features 2016 Le Mans winner Neel Jani, who test drove for Sauber F1, and GP2 winner John Lancaster. The women drivers include Alexandra Herve, who finished third in the 2023 Formula Renault Cup championship, Laura Campos Torras, a product of the Ferrari Driver Academy. Reddy says, 'Motor racing is gender neutral and I wanted to push boundaries, putting men and women in the same category, and have them compete on the same platform. I want Indian girls to get into motor sport and want to participate.' As a teenager, Reddy, 39, had to be a part of the sport, 'but it was really unreachable… We didn't have opportunities, nothing was available, nobody had really pushed towards the sport.' He says Kari was the only proper race track then with at the most three-four karting tracks in the country. The IRL was devised to create an extra layer of public knowledge and familiarise people with the sport. Running alongside IRL is the pathway that Reddy believes will crystallise as the decade rolls over. RPPL has the FIA licence via the Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India (FMSCI) to run Formula 3 and Formula 4 in India. These are the first steps aspiring drivers must aim for after karting to make careers in international single-seaters. In 2023, as part of the Festival, RPPL held India's first F4 races alongside IRL. The Formula LGB Series (F4) of the JK Tyres National Racing Championship – an entry-level single racing platform – is also part of it. F3 will come into the programme only after FIA releases its latest Generation-2 F3 car. Reddy obtained licences for these two categories because, 'after karting, we don't have a ladder for our youngsters to get into motor sport…' Before 2023, Indian drivers needed to travel to Europe or the Middle East to race, spending between 150,000-180,000 Euros ( ₹1.5-1.8 crore) a seat. The Indian F4 seat costs only ₹50-70 lakh, he says. Reddy believes his timing to dive into creating motor racing opportunities in India is right as 'there are 3-4 karting tracks in every city'– three in Chennai, five-six in Hyderabad and 3-4 in Bangalore. The younger generation is also drawn to motor sport first lured by F1. By the time they enter working/earning adulthood, Reddy believes he will be at the stage 'where the whole league would be established'. More race weekends, 'year-round championships with 12 weekends, pre-monsoon and post monsoon.' He anticipates that IRL Season Four could come close to marking the turnaround. 'When I got into this, I had made up my mind that this league will take at least five-six years to stabilise – in its running costs.' He hopes the league becomes 'self-sustainable probably by next summer, next year'. His dream is 'by 2033 or 2034, we see at least one kid who has driven in RPPL… at least one female Indian driver in Formula 2 grid by 2032 or 2023.' And the Indian Bernie (Ecclestone) parallel? Many may dispute but Reddy is the man on the start-finish line owning and flagging off the races.
News18
11 hours ago
- News18
KTM RC160 Confirmed For Indian Market, Here's What We Know So Far
Last Updated: Talking about the launch date, the company has kept this detail under wraps as yet. However, it has hinted at launching the RC160 somewhere in October this year. The top Austrian motorcycle maker, KTM, has finally revealed the plan for the all-new RC160. The company has confirmed that the model will arrive in the Indian market under the 160cc segment. It will replace the struggling 125cc offerings that include RC125 and Duke 125. Talking about the launch date, the company has kept this detail under wraps as yet. However, it has hinted at launching the RC160 somewhere in October this year. What's The Need Of RC160? The RC160 could be a game-changer for the brand as it has been focusing on the higher CC segment bikes, ignoring the mass market volume. With the RC160, the company might revive the segment, which has been witnessing a lower sales figures, and is decline with each passing day. Road Presence Aesthetically, the upcoming RC160 will share company's typical design language, featuring sharp cuts and creases. It will get signature style fully LED headlight setup, sleak indicators at both ends, aggressive riding posture, and split seating arrangement. The overall road presence might look quite similar as RC200 and RC390, giving a taste of orignialty in the upcoming model. view comments First Published: Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Time of India
12 hours ago
- Time of India
E20 rollout sparks consumer concerns: Mileage dip, engine woes reported — what car owners say about use of ethanol-blended petrol
Ethanol-blended petrol worries consumers (AI-image) The nationwide rollout of 20 per cent ethanol-blended petrol (E20) has triggered a wave of questions and concerns from vehicle owners, with many claiming declining fuel efficiency, sluggish performance and higher maintenance costs. Service centres say non-E20-compliant vehicles — which still account for a majority on Indian roads — are facing engine wear and gasket failures, forcing consumers to recalibrate or replace parts. Car owners were quoted by Economic Times an their experience and opinion on government's Ethanol-based fuel. Mileage and performance hit? Rahul Vaidya, who owns a 2019 Volkswagen Vento, saw his car's mileage fall from 11–12 kmpl to 7–8 kmpl. 'The ride felt heavier, and the response wasn't as crisp,' he said, before a service centre confirmed his car wasn't E20-compliant. After replacing critical components and recalibrating the engine, performance was restored. Mahesh Nair, who drives a 2021 Suzuki Brezza, reported a similar drop of over 20 per cent in mileage, along with jerky drives and poor pick-up. His vehicle required ECU tuning and E20-compatible parts to resolve the issues. 'I had no idea my car wasn't ready for E20 in the first place,' he said. Industry executives estimate non-E20 vehicles may see fuel efficiency fall by around 7 per cent, while official studies, including those by the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) and the Petroleum Ministry, peg the drop at 1–6 per cent. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Why this MBA won't break the bank SRM Online Learn More Undo ARAI director Reji Mathai said field trials had shown 'no abnormalities,' though some plastics and elastomers did degrade under testing. Policy push vs consumer awareness The ethanol-blending programme is central to India's energy strategy. From April 2023, all new vehicles were required to be E20-compliant, with stricter enforcement beginning April 2025. Yet, nine out of ten cars currently on the road are only E10-ready, designed to handle a maximum of 10 per cent ethanol. Consumers, however, appear largely unaware. 'There's a glaring gap in awareness. OEMs must educate car buyers. Consumers are stakeholders too,' said Naveen Soni, former president of Lexus India. Two-wheeler maker Hero MotoCorp has issued advisories warning older vehicles may need modifications to run smoothly on E20. Some automakers have also hinted warranties may not hold for vehicles running on higher ethanol blends. Oil companies maintain additives are being introduced to limit corrosion. Brazil's decades-long experience with flex-fuel technology is often cited as a model, though experts note India's consumer transition is proving more abrupt. For the government, the programme has saved over Rs 1.44 lakh crore in foreign exchange since 2014, substituted 245 lakh metric tonnes of crude, and cut CO₂ emissions by the equivalent of planting 30 crore trees. Ethanol demand has also boosted sugarcane farmers' incomes, with payments this year alone expected to touch Rs 40,000 crore. But for vehicle owners, the immediate impact is higher fuel bills and repairs. 'E20 has a lower heat content than pure petrol, so a marginal drop in fuel efficiency is inevitable,' said IV Rao, Distinguished Fellow at TERI. 'The extent will vary by manufacturer and model, but consumers must not be left in the dark.' Stay informed with the latest business news, updates on bank holidays , public holidays , current gold rate and silver price .
