Latest news with #Sankaranarayanan
Time of India
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Time of India
Watch: Elephant in Kerala calmly pulls out SUV from riverbank, wins hearts online
A short video from Kerala is going viral on social media this week– not for any accident or celebrity moment, but for a powerfully incredible scene by a riverbank. In Palakkad district, a white Toyota Fortuner got stuck in the soft, muddy bed of a shallow river. But instead of a crane or tow truck, it was an elephant, guided by its mahout, that pulled the vehicle out. This short but powerful moment has quickly gone viral, drawing attention not just to the elephant's strength but also to how traditional knowledge still plays a role in everyday life. Reports suggest that the vehicle had driven onto the riverbank, likely misjudging how muddy the ground was. With three wheels stuck deep and no grip to move forward, efforts to push or pull it by hand didn't work. As more people gathered around, so did the confusion about how the SUV would be rescued. Soon, a mahout reached the spot with his elephant– a well-known domesticated tusker named Sankaranarayanan. A thick rope was tied to the front of the SUV, and on the mahout's signal, the elephant grabbed it with its trunk. With one calm and steady pull, the vehicle was pulled out of the mud and brought safely back onto solid ground. Watch the video here: The act lasted only a few moments, but it was powerful enough to grab the attention of millions. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Buy Brass Idols - Handmade Brass Statues for Home & Gifting Luxeartisanship Buy Now Undo The video was first shared on Instagram by user Said Alavikoya and quickly gained traction. Within hours, it was being widely shared across social media, with people reacting to the unusual sight with a mix of curiosity and admiration. Many praised the elephant's calm strength and the smooth coordination between the animal and its mahout. While this scene may surprise many on social media, using elephants for tasks like lifting logs or working in tough rural areas is still common in parts of Kerala, especially in forest regions and during temple events. The video is a reminder that even today, some communities still turn to traditional methods when modern tools don't work. Reactions to the video have been mostly positive, with many appreciating the elephant's strength and calm nature. However, some viewers raised concerns about the ethical use of elephants for such tasks. Animal rights groups often remind people that even trained and domesticated elephants need to be treated with care and respect, and their well-being should always come first.
Indian Express
4 days ago
- Automotive
- Indian Express
Watch: Elephant pulls stuck SUV out of river in Kerala, the Internet is amazed
Elephants are revered for their intelligence, strength, and loyalty, and once again, one has proven why. A jaw-dropping video from Kerala is going viral on Instagram, showing a majestic elephant pulling a white Toyota Fortuner sports utility vehicle (SUV) out of a riverbed with ease. The video begins with the SUV stuck in a shallow river, its wheels, except the front left, submerged. Unable to move, the situation seems hopeless until a mahout (a trained elephant handler) arrives with his elephant, Thiruvegappura Sankaranarayanan. We next see the elephant gripping a rope tied to the vehicle's front axle with his trunk. Under the mahout's guidance, Sankaranarayanan begins to pull with sheer strength, managing to drag the heavy SUV onto solid ground within seconds. The force and precision displayed have left viewers stunned. The video was shared on Instagram by user @saidkoya90 with the caption, 'Thiruvegappura Sankaranarayanan… Our little elephant…' and has since amassed over 2.4 million views and 172,000 likes. A post shared by Said Alavikoya (@saidkoya90) Comments poured in, celebrating the animal's power and grace. 'This Fortuner in front of the elephant looks like a Maruti 800,' wrote one user. Another noted, 'We use elephants instead of tow trucks—eco-friendly and majestic.' A third user said, 'There are people who are suitable for everything here. This is Thiruvagapuren.' This isn't the first time elephants have gone viral. Recently, another video surfaced showing an elephant disabling an electric fence with remarkable precision, proving once again that elephants are not only strong but also incredibly smart. In India, elephants have traditionally played important roles, not only in festivals and ceremonies but also in industries like logging. While the use of elephants in labour has decreased due to ethical concerns, some domesticated elephants are still employed for specific tasks like logging timber and rescue and relief in difficult terrains under expert supervision.
Time of India
06-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Reservation in India like railway, those inside don't want others to come in: SC
Continue to video 5 5 Next Stay Playback speed 1x Normal Back 0.25x 0.5x 1x Normal 1.5x 2x 5 5 / Skip Ads by Live Events New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday compared reservation in the country with "a railway" or a train and said those who enter the compartment "don't want others to come in". A bench of Justices Surya Kant and N Kotiswar Singh made the remarks while hearing a plea opposing the other backward class (OBC) reservation in Maharashtra local body elections Senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan, appearing for petitioner Mangesh Shankar Sasane, submitted that Maharashtra government's Jayant Kumar Banthia-led commission gave 27 per cent reservation to OBCs in the local body elections without actually ascertaining if they were politically Kant turned to Sankaranarayanan, "The thing is, in this country, the reservation business has become like a railway. Those who have entered the compartment, they don't want anyone else to enter. This is the whole game. That is precisely the game of the petitioner also."Sankaranarayanan said compartments were being "added at the back also" and submitted political backwardness was distinct from social and educational backwardness, and the OBCs couldn't be automatically presumed to be politically backward."Within the OBCs, politically backward and socially backward classes should be identified for the purpose of reservations," he Kant said when one follows the principle of inclusivity, states were bound to identify more classes."There will be social backward class, politically backwards class, and economically backward classes. Why should they be deprived of the benefit? Why should it be confined to one particular family or group?" he top court issued notice on the plea and sought the state government's response while tagging the matter with the pending the meantime, in another matter over OBC reservation in Maharashtra local bodies the bench ordered the state election commission to notify the polls in four weeks which are to be held in line with the period before the 2022 Banthia Commission bench ordered the state panel to conclude the elections in four months and granted liberty to the state election commission (SEC) to seek more time in appropriate outcome of Maharashtra local body elections would be subject to decisions in pending petitions before apex court, it August 22, 2022, the top court directed the SEC and the Maharashtra government to maintain the status quo with regard to the poll process to the local bodies in the state.
